Friday, June 5, 2009

US says Taliban getting restricted in Pakistan


WASHINGTON: The US State Department Assistant Secretary Philip J., expressing satisfaction over Pakistan military operation against Talibanization, has said that Taliban’s activities in Pakistan are getting restricted.

He said this during press briefing here on Friday. To a question, he said US is aware of Pakistan’s critical condition propped up due to surge in Talibanization and owing to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP)’s issue brought about by military offensive in North West even then, Taliban activities in Pakistan are getting confined.

Philip said Taliban are still potential threat to Pakistan but world must encourage Pakistani people efforts to counterinsurgency.

He vowed to continue helping Pakistani IDPs saying, “US will make every possible effort to help them rehabilitate”.

I am happy over announcement of additional aid for IDPs from Richard Holbrooke, he added.

Bloodbath at Dir mosque

PESHAWAR - At least 42 worshippers were killed including 12 children, and dozens other injured, when a suicide bomber blew himself up inside a mosque during Juma prayers in remote area of Hayagai Sharqi of District Upper Dir. The faithful killed in the blast were reportedly anti-militants, the witnesses said on Friday.
The worshippers in the mosque hailed from surrounding areas where anti-militants feelings existed that led to this gory incident, sources told The Nation. The dwellers of the Hayagai Sharqi village had already formed an anti-militants “Lashkar” after seeing their growing influence in the area.
The prayer leader had just finished the Juma prayer when a suicide bomber detonated his explosive laden jacket in the verandah of the mosque. “The bomber was heading for the main hall of the mosque, jam- packed with worshippers. His target was the large number of prayers in the hall aimed at killing the maximum number of people. But other prayers in the verandah stopped the bomber, asking him why he was entering the hall when the congregation of Juma prayer had ended. The bomber said, “I want to meet one Bacha Mir, a local elder.” But when he was stopped he blew himself up, a prayer told this scribe by phone.
Around 42 precious lives of prayers perished which included 12 children, and many more sustained serious injuries. The names of some of the killed persons as identified included Bakht Bacha, Khaista Rehman, Juma Said, Taseer, Sajad, Waqar, Ahmed Jan, Fazl Rehman, Ghulam, Bacha Rehman, and Saleh Rehman. Three ill-fated persons Bakhat Bacha, Ahmed Jan and Fazl Rehman were killed along with their two sons each.
One of the survivors of this gory incident confirmed the rising up of the people against the Taliban’s spreading and their movement in Hayagai Sharqi area. He said that local people had established a check post on the main road and local armed persons were deployed to stop the entry of militants.

Civilians stream out of Swat as curfew eased





PESHAWAR: Pakistani civilians again streamed out of homes in the northwest Swat valley Friday, following evacuation orders from the military and taking advantage of a curfew break, officials said.

Military helicopters dropped leaflets overnight saying the government would ease curfew restrictions in Kabal and Matta in the centre of the valley to allow residents to vacate their homes, a senior military official said.

The curfew was relaxed from 06:00 a.m. until 03:00 p.m., with special buses laid on to transport people without vehicles to government-run camps for the some two million people displaced by six weeks of fighting, he added.

The military advised residents to leave Imam Dheri, Damaghar, Kozabandi, Chota Kalam, Ningolai and Shakardara.

These villages are within five kilometres of Swat's main town Mingora, which the military said was won back from the Taliban last Saturday.

‘The decision has been taken after reports that militants fleeing Mingora are now hiding in these places,’ the official said.

Local officials said people were leaving in ‘large numbers’.

The military official said thousands of people could vacate the area, with about 100 buses laid on at the outskirts of Mingora, ahead of a possible operation in those surrounding villages.

Imam Dheri used to be the main base of radical cleric Mullah Fazlullah during his violent two-year uprising to enforce sharia law in Swat.

The Pakistani military launched an offensive in northwestern districts six weeks ago after Taliban fighters advanced to within 100 kilometres of Islamabad, in violation of a deal the government had agreed in February to put the region's three million people under sharia law in exchange for peace.

Army chief General Ashfaq Kayani said the tide in Swat had ‘decisively turned’ and top militant leaders were being ‘aggressively hunted,’ a statement from his office said.

NWFP leadership meet General Kayani



RAWALPIND:A meeting was held on Friday at General Headquarters between the provincial leadership of North West Frontier Province and army leadership, directly involved in fighting terrorism in NWFP and FATA, to discuss the post conflict management and settlement roadmap, an ISPR handout said.

The meting was attended by the Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani, who headed the selected senior officers group and the civilian leadership was led by Owais Ahmad Ghani, Governor NWFP and Amir Haider Khan Hoti, Chief Minister NWFP.

All concerned civil and military officials also attended the meeting.

A detailed discussion followed host of presentations to address various politico-administrative issues likely to be confronted in the affected areas of Malakand Division.

The civil-military leadership decided to accelerate such engagements to crystallize the options and refine the roadmap.

They reiterated that with collective ‘will and wisdom’, a matching response will be provided to the current challenges. This will turn these challenges into an ‘opportunity’, they observed.

Muslims see Obama shifting attitude, policy

www.saudigazette.com.sa
RIYADH – Muslims greeted President Barack Obama’s speech from Cairo Thursday as a mark of a changed American attitude toward them and a new policy on the Middle East.
Every word of the speech was quickly studied across the Middle East and the Muslim world.
“President Barack Obama’s approach to resolve the problems through reconciliation and not war is the need of the hour,” said President of the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry Abdul Rahman Al-Jeraisy.
“I look at Obama as a kind of American leader who has greater understanding about Muslims and Arabs. Obama’s visit to Saudi Arabia also proved that the Kingdom plays an important role, not only in the region but also in the international arena. I hope and I am optimistic to see two states – Palestine and Israel – live side by side in peace through the efforts of President Obama,” he said.
Dr. Thaiseer Al-Khunaizi, a Saudi political analyst and columnist said Obama had succeeded in capturing the sentiments of Muslims and Arabs.
“It was wonderful to listen first time to a US president, who with his impressive language and tone tried to spell out his policies on the Mideast peace. We don’t doubt the seriousness and the ambitions that Mr. Obama has as the world’s most powerful man, but the question is whether he could achieve what he has been saying to the Muslim and Arab world,” he said.
Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa said the speech was “balanced” and paved the way for good relations.
“I feel that the speech was balanced and offered a new vision of rapprochement regarding relations with Islamic states,” Moussa told reporters in Cairo.
The speech showed that the United States “will deal with the region’s issues with a sense of balance, this includes the Palestinian question, the end to Israeli settlements, Palestinian rights which must be respected,” Moussa said.
Obama’s “realistic” speech proves he is a good partner for Muslim nations trying to work for peace in the Middle East, Turkish President Abdullah Gul was quoted by a news agency as saying.
“I find his position on regional peace very appropriate,” Gul told Anatolia news agency.

Obama's Cairo speech signals end of the 9/11 era

www.haaretz.com
If Barack Obama fulfills even some of the promises he made during his important address in Cairo Thursday, June 4, 2009 will be remembered in world history as the last day of the 9/11 era. Instead of a clash of civilizations, we will have a dialogue of cultures. Instead of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict being pushed to the sidelines of the struggle against Islamic terrorism, we will get a Palestinian state in the 1967 borders, with agreed territorial adjustments, and normalized relations between Israel and the Arab states. Instead of a balance of nuclear terror between Iran and Israel, both of them will be signatories in good standing of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Obama's speech was not a collection of empty rhetoric. Before the entire world, he put his signature to a bunch of checks that have deadlines for being cashed. In his talks with his aides in recent weeks, a consensus has emerged that November 2010 - the date of the next congressional elections - should be the target date for realizing the two-state solution. By then, we will know how much of an impression Obama's speech made on Iran's president. Who knows: Perhaps Iranian voters will be convinced that they have before them a U.S. president who is genuinely interested in reconciliation with Islam, and will use their upcoming election to replace their current president with a more conciliatory one. By then, we will also know whom Benjamin Netanyahu is more afraid of - the U.S. president or the chairman of the Yesha Council of settlements, Benny Begin or Tzipi Livni.

Alongside many questions, the address provided many exclamation marks. Thursday, the era of formal imbalance in the trilateral relationship between the U.S., Israel and the Arab world gave way to an equilateral triangle. Obama left Egypt with two tablets of the commandments - one for Jews and the other for Muslims. He left no room for doubt: An Israel that continues to discriminate against Palestinians and prevent them from exercising their rights to self-determination and freedom of movement cannot expect affirmative action from the U.S. It is hard to believe that Obama simply forgot to mention the words "Jewish state." The president believes that the nature of the State of Israel is something only the State of Israel can decide.
Obama placed violence against Israel on a par with the settlements and the humiliation of Palestinians in the territories. He spoke in the same breath about the struggle of Palestinians who lost their homes more than 60 years ago and the struggle of African slaves in the U.S. The Israelis could see themselves in the sentence that mentioned the apartheid state of South Africa.

Having granted Israel several weeks to formulate its policy, Obama could not present a detailed program for realizing the two-state solution. However, the two documents that he did mention - the road map and the Arab Peace Initiative - suggest a framework from which there can be no deviation: No more formulas like Resolution 242, whose interpretations vary, or loopholes for continuing the settlement building. Nor is it an accident that he failed to mention "natural growth": He was hinting that if Israel adopts a two-state solution, most of the settlements will become history anyway.

Obama gave Israel the following choices Thursday: Either the conservative Israeli government will adjust itself to the American people's choice in electing a liberal president, or the speech will be the lightning that precedes the thunder.

Obama calls for new effort for 2-state solution

DRESDEN, Germany -- Prodding the international community, President Barack Obama called Friday "for all of us to redouble our efforts" toward separate Israeli and Palestinian states. "The moment is now for us to act," he declared.

Alongside German Chancellor Angela Merkel one day after his trip to the Middle East, Obama said: "The United States can't force peace upon the parties." But he said America has "at least created the space, the atmosphere, in which talks can restart."

The president announced that he was sending special envoy George J. Mitchell back to the region next week to follow up on his speech in Cairo a day earlier in which he called for both Israeli and Palestinian leaders to give ground in the longtime standoff toward the elusive goal of peace.

Obama says Israel must live up to commitments it made under the so-called "Road Map" peace outline to stop constructing settlements and that the Palestinians must control acts and statements that incite violence.

Fresh from visits to Saudi Arabia and Egypt, Obama said that while regional powers and the entire international community must help Israelis and Palestinians achieve peace, "ultimately the parties involved have to make the decision that the prosperity and security of their people are best served" by an accord.

Merkel, for her part, promised to cooperate in her own right on this long-sought goal. She said the two leaders discussed a timetable for a peace process but did not elaborate.

"I think that, with the new American government and the president, there is a truly unique opportunity to revive this peace process or, let us put this very cautiously, this process of negotiations," Merkel said.

Added Obama: "I think the moment is now for us to act on what we all know to be the truth, which is each side is going to have to make some difficult compromises."

He renewed his call for Israel to halt settlement activity in the West Bank and follow through on such previously made commitments, adding: "I recognize the very difficult politics in Israel of getting that done and I'm very sympathetic to how hard that will be." He also pressed Palestinians anew to dial back anti-Israel rhetoric that is not constructive to the peace process. Obama said Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas "has made progress on this issue, but not enough."

Touching on an issue that has strained the American-German relationship, Obama also said he didn't seek any commitments from Germany as the United States seeks to close the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and determines what to do with the terrorism suspects held there. The United States has asked Germany to take a dozen prisoners, although German officials have said most should be resettled in America.

Merkel said her country is prepared to "constructively contribute" to U.S. closure efforts and said she was confident of eventually reaching a "common solution" on the prisoners' fate.

On economic matters, Obama said he's seen "some progress" in bringing stability to the world in the wake of the deep recession that has crisscrossed the continents in recent months, and said he and Merkel agreed that they must continue to "work very closely together" to restore stability. Addressing climate change, Obama also said "we're going to have to make some tough decisions and take concrete actions if we are going to deal with a potentially cataclysmic disaster."

The two leaders spoke to reporters after meeting privately at a castle in this east Germany city that has bitter wartime memories. Starting on the night of Feb. 13, 1945, first British, then American bombers pounded the defenseless and largely non-strategic architectural gem, igniting a firestorm in which 25,000 people died - and in so doing, creating an enduring controversy.

Obama did not address the firebombing, and was in Dresden at the invitation of Merkel, who hails from her country's East.

Later, Obama was ready to tour the Buchenwald concentration camp, where an estimated 56,000 people perished. Most were Jews - worked to death, shot or hanged by Nazi guards.

In his Thursday speech in Egypt, Obama issued a scathing indictment of those who question the Holocaust, saying that to do so "is baseless, it is ignorant, and it is hateful."

"Threatening Israel with destruction or repeating vile stereotypes about Jews is deeply wrong and only serves to evoke in the minds of the Israelis this most painful of memories while preventing the peace that the people of this region deserve," Obama added. It was a pointed message to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has expressed doubts that 6 million Jews died at the hands of the Nazis and who has urged that Israel be wiped from the map.

On Friday, the president added: "The international community has an obligation, even when it's inconvenient, to act when genocide is occurring."

Obama is the first U.S. president to visit Buchenwald, and the stop was personal. A great-uncle helped liberate a nearby satellite camp, Ohrdruf, in early April 1945 just days before other U.S. Army units overran Buchenwald.

Ohrdruf no longer stands. But Buchenwald's main gate, crematorium, hospital and two guard towers have been kept as a memorial.

Accompanying Obama to the site was Elie Wiesel, a 1986 Nobel Peace Prize winner, author and Holocaust survivor, who as a boy was taken to Auschwitz, then to Buchenwald, where his father died in 1945 three months before liberation.

Following the tour, Obama was flying to Landstuhl medical hospital for private visits with U.S. troops recovering from wounds sustained in Iraq and Afghanistan. And he was ending the day in Paris - reuniting with his wife, Michelle, and daughters Malia and Sasha, who planned a brief holiday in the City of Light after commemorating the 65th anniversary of the Allies' D-Day invasion in France.

Taliban Stir Rising Anger of Pakistanis

NYT.COM
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — A year ago, the Pakistani public was deeply divided over what to do about its spreading insurgency. Some saw the Taliban militants as fellow Muslims and native sons who simply wanted Islamic law, and many opposed direct military action against them.

But history moves quickly in Pakistan, and after months of televised Taliban cruelties, broken promises and suicide attacks, there is a spreading sense — apparent in the news media, among politicians and the public — that many Pakistanis are finally turning against the Taliban.

The shift is still tentative and difficult to quantify. But it seems especially profound among the millions of Pakistanis directly threatened by the Taliban advance from the tribal areas into more settled parts of Pakistan, like the Swat Valley. Their anger at the Taliban now outweighs even their frustration with the military campaign that has crushed their houses and killed their relatives.

“It’s the Taliban that’s responsible for our misery,” said Fakir Muhammed, a refugee from Swat, who, like many who had experienced Taliban rule firsthand, welcomed the military campaign to push the insurgents out.

The growing support for the fight against the Taliban could be an important turning point for Pakistan, whose divisions about its Islamic militancy seemed at times to imperil the state itself.

But it is an opportunity that could just as quickly vanish, analysts and politicians warn, if Pakistan’s political leaders fail to kill or capture senior Taliban leaders, to help an estimated three million who have been displaced, or to create a functioning government in areas long ignored by the state. “This is a profound moment in our history,” said Javed Iqbal, the top bureaucrat in the North-West Frontier Province, the area of fighting. “My greatest fear is whether there is sufficient realization of this among people who make decisions.”

On Wednesday, in an audiotape, Osama bin Laden specifically cited the fighting in Swat and Pakistan’s tribal areas, blaming the Obama administration for the campaign and for sowing “new seeds to increase hatred and revenge on America.”

American officials are keenly aware of the potential of the refugee crisis to spawn militancy. Less than a quarter of the $543 million the United Nations has requested for refugees has arrived, according to Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry.

On Thursday, Richard C. Holbrooke, the American special envoy, visited refugee tents as part of a three-day trip to spread the message that the United States was trying to help. The Obama administration had requested an additional $200 million, he said, noting that it was providing more aid than all other countries combined.

Even so, anti-American feelings still run high in Pakistan. Many Pakistanis blame the United States and the war in Afghanistan for their current troubles.

Pakistanis have long supported the Taliban as allies to exert influence in neighboring Afghanistan. Unlike Afghans, they have never lived under Taliban rule, and have been slow to absorb its dangers.

But that is changing, as the experience of those Pakistanis who have now lived under the Taliban has left many disillusioned.

Over more than a year of fighting, the militants moved into Swat, by killing or driving out the wealthy and promising to improve the lives of the poor. Finally, the military agreed to a truce in February that all but ceded Swat to the Taliban and allowed the insurgents to impose Islamic law, or Shariah.

The prospect of Shariah was alluring, said Iftikhar Ehmad, who owns a cellphone shop in Mingora, the most populous city in Swat, because the court system in Swat was so corrupt and ineffective. But the Taliban’s Shariah was not the benign change people had hoped for. Once the Taliban took power, the insurgents seemed interested only in amassing more, and in April they pushed into Buner, a neighboring district 60 miles from Islamabad.

“It was not Shariah, it was something else,” Mr. Ehmad said, jabbing angrily at the air with his finger in the scorching tent camp in the town of Swabi. “It was scoundrel behavior.”

Daily life became degrading. A woman was lashed in public, and a video of her writhing in pain and begging for mercy stirred wide outrage. Taliban bosses ordered people to donate money. Cosmetics shops and girls’ schools were burned.

By the time the military entered Swat last month, local people began leading soldiers to tunnels with weapons and Taliban hiding places in hotels, the military said. “These people, six months back, weren’t willing to share anything,” said a military official who was involved in planning the campaign. “Gradually they’ve been coming out more and more into the open.”

There has also been a change in other parts of Pakistan, like Punjab, the most populous province, where people used to see the problem of militancy as remote, said Rasul Baksh Rais, a professor of political science at Lahore University of Management Sciences. Now the province has become a target of suicide attacks, most recently last week in Lahore. Mr. Rais cited changes in news coverage of the military campaign and a strong stand by the political parties, even some of the religious ones, as evidence of the shift. “The tables are turned against the Taliban now,” he said. “They are marginalized.”

But the underlying causes that have allowed the Taliban to spread — poverty, barely functioning government, lack of upward mobility in society — remain. Mr. Iqbal is now working frantically to fill those gaps. New judges have recently been identified for Swat, he said, and about 3,000 new police officers will be selected this week.

The Pakistani military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss future operations, said troops would have to remain in Swat for at least six months. Support for the Taliban has not evaporated entirely.

Early this week, on a searing hot street in Mardan, a town south of Swat that has absorbed many of the people churned up in the fighting, a tall man with a long beard, Muhammed Tahir Ansari, grew angry when asked whether the refugees approved of the military operation. “It is illogical to think that people would be happy about this tense situation,” he said curtly.

He was from a charity run by Jamaat-e-Islami, one of the principal religious parties that tacitly support the Taliban, and was directing a frenzied effort to distribute water and hand-held fans.

The government, meanwhile, was nowhere in sight.

Mosque blast kills 40 in Upper Dir



ISLAMABAD:A bomb blast killed around 40 worshippers attending Friday prayers at a mosque in Upper Dir, a senior official in Upper Dir district told Reuters.
"Around 40 people are killed. The death toll is 40. We have no idea as yet how many have been wounded," Atif-ur-Rehman, the senior-most government administrator in Upper Dir said.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Israeli doves praise Obama, hawks call him naïve




JERUSALEM: Israel, the country most on edge about Barack Obama’s outreach to Muslims, had decidedly mixed reactions to the US president’s speech in Cairo and its strong call for Israel to halt settlement expansion on territory the Palestinians claim for a future state.

A government official said the speech could have been worse for Israel, while a settler spokeswoman called Obama naive and out of touch with reality. A dovish lawmaker said the speech created an important opportunity for peace.

In his speech aimed at healing rifts between the US and the Muslim world, Obama devoted significant time to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He asked Muslims to accept Israel’s right to exist as a nation that came about after centuries of persecution and the Nazi genocide of six million Jews.

He also made an emotional plea for the right of Palestinians to live in dignity in an independent state of their own. He even used the term ‘Palestine’ _ a break from standard references to a future Palestinian state.

Israel’s initial official reaction was to play down any potential rift with the Obama administration, probably to avoid exacerbating already palpable tensions between the liberal US leader and Israel’s new hard-line Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.

‘All in all, it’s not bad. I don’t think there’s anything we disagree with here,’ said Danny Seaman, the director of Israel’s Government Press Office.

‘The state of Israel isn’t against reconciliation,’ he added, but warned against any moves that could ‘be used by the extremists to endanger Israel and endanger the peace process’.

Aliza Herbst, a 56-year-old resident of the West Bank settlement of Ofra, calmly watched Obama’s speech on television and when he finished said ‘his naivety can be dangerous’.

‘You can have your speechwriters, find every good thing a Muslim has ever done. But more modern history is that the Muslim world is at war with the Western world,’ she said, referring to the speech’s myriad references to historical contributions by Muslims.

Michael Ben-Ari, an Israeli lawmaker from a far-right ultranationalist party, took the criticism of Obama a step further.

‘His hatred for the people of Israel led him to deliver a most dangerous speech that exposed his pro-Islamic trends, designed to undermine the vision of the people of Israel returning to their homeland,’ he said.

NO SURPRISES: Many Israelis had been anxious about Obama’s speech, fearing the US leader would use the stage to step up his recent criticism of Israel.

But Seaman, the Israeli official, said the speech had no major surprises and that the current disagreements between Israel and the U.S. are ‘well-known’.

Premier Netanyahu has refused to endorse a Palestinian state and said settlement construction will continue.

Yuli Tamir, a dovish lawmaker from the centrist Labor Party, was filled with praise for Obama and his speech.

‘It’s one of the most important speeches ever delivered, a key speech for changing the climate in the Middle East. Israel will make a big mistake if it ignores it,’ she said

Higher funds for uplift of Balochistan demanded





QUETTA: Balochistan Economic Forum President Sardar Shaukat Popalzai urged the Federal government on Wednesday to give due attention to the underdeveloped economy of Balochistan in the forthcoming budget.

Talking to Dawn, he said different economic sectors be accommodated in the budget so that the province could shun its reliance on the federal divisible pool.

Many economic sectors, he said, were progressing slowly and were under severe pressure owing to lack of funding.

Due to slow growth of these sectors, investors were reluctant to come forward in supporting socio-economic development of the province, he said.

The federal government, he said, should encourage foreign direct investment in the province, and it should also be ensured that the message is reflected in bureaucratic policies and procedures.

He expressed the fears that the government may impose customs duty and sales tax on the ship-breaking industry in the new budget.

The present boom at the Gadani ship-breaking yard, he said, began early this year after customs duty and sales tax was waived in the previous budget which helped revive ship-breaking industry after a lull of over 10 years.

‘It generated economic activity in a big way and created employment opportunities from seashores of Balochistan to the North where most of the foundries and re-rolling mills are located, and it would be unfortunate if the federal government imposes customs duty and sales tax.’

He further mentioned that the fisheries sector was under continuous threat in the coastal area of Balochistan.

‘The main reason being the current ban on seafood export to Europe by the European Union for various technical reasons, which has badly affected the income generation of coastal population of the province,’ he said.

He further observed that mining and agriculture sectors, particularly fruit farming, have not been provided any special incentive, considering the fact that presently 67 per cent of Balochistan’s economy is dependent upon agriculture.

After the recent launch of operational activities at the Gwadar port, the forum expects that the government would announce without any further delay special incentives in declaring Gwadar a free zone.

The Balochistan Economic Forum also observed that the northern population of Balochistan was involved in large numbers in Afghan Transit Trade and also supporting the development of infra-structure in the province and Afghanistan.

The government should take notice of their migration of businesses from Balochistan area to the other region.

He demanded special incentives for the bordering cities of Balochistan, along with Afghanistan so that it could match the international incentives being offered for the Reconstruction Opportunity Zones (ROZ) being developed by the US and also supported by Europe.

Army after high-value targets, says Kayani

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Army will stay in Swat to hunt down high value targets and clear the remaining hideouts and sanctuaries of the terrorists in the valley.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani stated this while addressing the 119th Corps Commanders’ Conference at General Headquarters on Thursday.
According to informed sources, the COAS said that tide in Swat has ‘decisively turned’ as major population centres and roads leading to the valley had been largely cleared of organised resistance by the terrorists.
He said that Army would continue to carry out operations at a limited scale to clear remaining hideouts and sanctuaries, adding that Army would stay in Swat to provide security to the people and tackle isolated incidents of violence.
The Chief of Army Staff thanked the people of Pakistan and the media for their wholehearted support during the ongoing operation. He reiterated Army’s resolve to defeat the terrorists. He also appreciated the morale, professionalism and dedication of the troops engaged in fighting the terrorism and violent extremism. He lauded the sacrifices being rendered by the officers and soldiers alike in the line of duty.
The COAS also paid rich tributes to the sacrifices and heroic resilience of the IDPs in sustaining the difficulties for the sake of peace and stability in their homeland. “We can’t afford to leave our displaced brethren in the lurch at this critical time,” the COAS said and urged all to work hand in glove to garner maximum support for the relief and rehabilitation for IDPs.
He expressed the hope that the government would be able to immediately launch a robust administrative effort on the heels of successful military operation, making it possible for the IDPs to return as soon as possible. He stressed that a civilian administrative surge was required for creating a conducive environment for the return of IDPs. “Army will provide whatever assistance is required. We will spare no effort towards this end,” he maintained.

Sufi Muhammad, aides arrested

PESHAWAR: Security forces arrested Sufi Muhammad, chief of the banned outfit Tehreek-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Muhammadi (TNSM), along with three of his aides from Amandara in Lower Dir district on Thursday, sources said. Sources told Daily Times that two other key leaders including his TNSM spokesman Izzat Khan and Mohammad Alam were among those arrested.
The arrest of the TNSM leaders has sent a wave of scare among the workers of the organisation and common people of the area.
The ISPR said that security forces were tipped off about the presence of terrorists at Amandara Madrassa. During the raid on the Madrassa and a Hujrah next to it, three Afghan militants, who were in possession of eight

Girls school blown up in Badaber

PESHAWAR: Unknown miscreants blew up a girls’ school in Sulemankhel area of Badaber late Wednesday night, police said.

Official sources said the miscreants planted explosives at school building, which went off at around 1:15 a.m. The blast destroyed boundary walls of the school, besides damaging seven of its nine rooms.

According to an official of the bomb disposal squad, the perpetrators planted five bombs, weighing around four to five kilograms each, while a rocket was also fired on the school building.This is the third incident of its kind. Earlier, militants destroyed a girls’ high school in Badaber and three private schools on Warsak Road.

Obama speech in Cairo: the text in full




From Times Online
I am honored to be in the timeless city of Cairo , and to be hosted by two remarkable institutions. For over a thousand years, Al-Azhar has stood as a beacon of Islamic learning, and for over a century, Cairo University has been a source of Egypt ’s advancement. Together, you represent the harmony between tradition and progress. I am grateful for your hospitality, and the hospitality of the people of Egypt . I am also proud to carry with me the goodwill of the American people, and a greeting of peace from Muslim communities in my country: assalaamu alaykum.

We meet at a time of tension between the United States and Muslims around the world – tension rooted in historical forces that go beyond any current policy debate. The relationship between Islam and the West includes centuries of co-existence and cooperation, but also conflict and religious wars. More recently, tension has been fed by colonialism that denied rights and opportunities to many Muslims, and a Cold War in which Muslim-majority countries were too often treated as proxies without regard to their own aspirations. Moreover, the sweeping change brought by modernity and globalization led many Muslims to view the West as hostile to the traditions of Islam.

Violent extremists have exploited these tensions in a small but potent minority of Muslims. The attacks of September 11th, 2001 and the continued efforts of these extremists to engage in violence against civilians has led some in my country to view Islam as inevitably hostile not only to America and Western countries, but also to human rights. This has bred more fear and mistrust.

So long as our relationship is defined by our differences, we will empower those who sow hatred rather than peace, and who promote conflict rather than the cooperation that can help all of our people achieve justice and prosperity. This cycle of suspicion and discord must end.

I have come here to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world; one based upon mutual interest and mutual respect; and one based upon the truth that America and Islam are not exclusive, and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap, and share common principles – principles of justice and progress; tolerance and the dignity of all human beings.

I do so recognizing that change cannot happen overnight. No single speech can eradicate years of mistrust, nor can I answer in the time that I have all the complex questions that brought us to this point. But I am convinced that in order to move forward, we must say openly the things we hold in our hearts, and that too often are said only behind closed doors. There must be a sustained effort to listen to each other; to learn from each other; to respect one another; and to seek common ground. As the Holy Koran tells us, “Be conscious of God and speak always the truth.” That is what I will try to do – to speak the truth as best I can, humbled by the task before us, and firm in my belief that the interests we share as human beings are far more powerful than the forces that drive us apart.

Part of this conviction is rooted in my own experience. I am a Christian, but my father came from a Kenyan family that includes generations of Muslims. As a boy, I spent several years in Indonesia and heard the call of the azaan at the break of dawn and the fall of dusk. As a young man, I worked in Chicago communities where many found dignity and peace in their Muslim faith.

As a student of history, I also know civilization’s debt to Islam. It was Islam – at places like Al-Azhar University – that carried the light of learning through so many centuries, paving the way for Europe ’s Renaissance and Enlightenment. It was innovation in Muslim communities that developed the order of algebra; our magnetic compass and tools of navigation; our mastery of pens and printing; our understanding of how disease spreads and how it can be healed. Islamic culture has given us majestic arches and soaring spires; timeless poetry and cherished music; elegant calligraphy and places of peaceful contemplation. And throughout history, Islam has demonstrated through words and deeds the possibilities of religious tolerance and racial equality.

I know, too, that Islam has always been a part of America ’s story. The first nation to recognize my country was Morocco. In signing the Treaty of Tripoli in 1796, our second President John Adams wrote, "The United States has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Muslims." And since our founding, American Muslims have enriched the United States . They have fought in our wars, served in government, stood for civil rights, started businesses, taught at our Universities, excelled in our sports arenas, won Nobel Prizes, built our tallest building, and lit the Olympic Torch. And when the first Muslim-American was recently elected to Congress, he took the oath to defend our Constitution using the same Holy Koran that one of our Founding Fathers – Thomas Jefferson – kept in his personal library.

So I have known Islam on three continents before coming to the region where it was first revealed. That experience guides my conviction that partnership between America and Islam must be based on what Islam is, not what it isn’t. And I consider it part of my responsibility as President of the United States to fight against negative stereotypes of Islam wherever they appear.

But that same principle must apply to Muslim perceptions of America . Just as Muslims do not fit a crude stereotype, America is not the crude stereotype of a self-interested empire. The United States has been one of the greatest sources of progress that the world has ever known. We were born out of revolution against an empire. We were founded upon the ideal that all are created equal, and we have shed blood and struggled for centuries to give meaning to those words – within our borders, and around the world. We are shaped by every culture, drawn from every end of the Earth, and dedicated to a simple concept: E pluribus unum: "Out of many, one."

Much has been made of the fact that an African-American with the name Barack Hussein Obama could be elected President. But my personal story is not so unique. The dream of opportunity for all people has not come true for everyone in America, but its promise exists for all who come to our shores – that includes nearly seven million American Muslims in our country today who enjoy incomes and education that are higher than average.

Moreover, freedom in America is indivisible from the freedom to practice one’s religion. That is why there is a mosque in every state of our union, and over 1,200 mosques within our borders. That is why the U.S. government has gone to court to protect the right of women and girls to wear the hijab, and to punish those who would deny it.

So let there be no doubt: Islam is a part of America . And I believe that America holds within her the truth that regardless of race, religion, or station in life, all of us share common aspirations – to live in peace and security; to get an education and to work with dignity; to love our families, our communities, and our God. These things we share. This is the hope of all humanity.

Of course, recognizing our common humanity is only the beginning of our task. Words alone cannot meet the needs of our people. These needs will be met only if we act boldly in the years ahead; and if we understand that the challenges we face are shared, and our failure to meet them will hurt us all.

For we have learned from recent experience that when a financial system weakens in one country, prosperity is hurt everywhere. When a new flu infects one human being, all are at risk. When one nation pursues a nuclear weapon, the risk of nuclear attack rises for all nations. When violent extremists operate in one stretch of mountains, people are endangered across an ocean. And when innocents in Bosnia and Darfur are slaughtered, that is a stain on our collective conscience. That is what it means to share this world in the 21st century. That is the responsibility we have to one another as human beings.

This is a difficult responsibility to embrace. For human history has often been a record of nations and tribes subjugating one another to serve their own interests. Yet in this new age, such attitudes are self-defeating. Given our interdependence, any world order that elevates one nation or group of people over another will inevitably fail. So whatever we think of the past, we must not be prisoners of it. Our problems must be dealt with through partnership; progress must be shared.

That does not mean we should ignore sources of tension. Indeed, it suggests the opposite: we must face these tensions squarely. And so in that spirit, let me speak as clearly and plainly as I can about some specific issues that I believe we must finally confront together.

The first issue that we have to confront is violent extremism in all of its forms.

In Ankara , I made clear that America is not – and never will be – at war with Islam. We will, however, relentlessly confront violent extremists who pose a grave threat to our security. Because we reject the same thing that people of all faiths reject: the killing of innocent men, women, and children. And it is my first duty as President to protect the American people.

The situation in Afghanistan demonstrates America ’s goals, and our need to work together. Over seven years ago, the United States pursued al Qaeda and the Taliban with broad international support. We did not go by choice, we went because of necessity. I am aware that some question or justify the events of 9/11. But let us be clear: al Qaeda killed nearly 3,000 people on that day. The victims were innocent men, women and children from America and many other nations who had done nothing to harm anybody. And yet Al Qaeda chose to ruthlessly murder these people, claimed credit for the attack, and even now states their determination to kill on a massive scale. They have affiliates in many countries and are trying to expand their reach. These are not opinions to be debated; these are facts to be dealt with.

Make no mistake: we do not want to keep our troops in Afghanistan . We seek no military bases there. It is agonizing for America to lose our young men and women. It is costly and politically difficult to continue this conflict. We would gladly bring every single one of our troops home if we could be confident that there were not violent extremists in Afghanistan and Pakistan determined to kill as many Americans as they possibly can. But that is not yet the case.

That’s why we’re partnering with a coalition of forty-six countries. And despite the costs involved, America ’s commitment will not weaken. Indeed, none of us should tolerate these extremists. They have killed in many countries. They have killed people of different faiths – more than any other, they have killed Muslims. Their actions are irreconcilable with the rights of human beings, the progress of nations, and with Islam. The Holy Koran teaches that whoever kills an innocent, it is as if he has killed all mankind; and whoever saves a person, it is as if he has saved all mankind. The enduring faith of over a billion people is so much bigger than the narrow hatred of a few. Islam is not part of the problem in combating violent extremism – it is an important part of promoting peace.

We also know that military power alone is not going to solve the problems in Afghanistan and Pakistan . That is why we plan to invest $1.5 billion each year over the next five years to partner with Pakistanis to build schools and hospitals, roads and businesses, and hundreds of millions to help those who have been displaced. And that is why we are providing more than $2.8 billion to help Afghans develop their economy and deliver services that people depend upon.

Let me also address the issue of Iraq . Unlike Afghanistan , Iraq was a war of choice that provoked strong differences in my country and around the world. Although I believe that the Iraqi people are ultimately better off without the tyranny of Saddam Hussein, I also believe that events in Iraq have reminded America of the need to use diplomacy and build international consensus to resolve our problems whenever possible. Indeed, we can recall the words of Thomas Jefferson, who said: “I hope that our wisdom will grow with our power, and teach us that the less we use our power the greater it will be.”

Today, America has a dual responsibility: to help Iraq forge a better future – and to leave Iraq to Iraqis. I have made it clear to the Iraqi people that we pursue no bases, and no claim on their territory or resources. Iraq ’s sovereignty is its own. That is why I ordered the removal of our combat brigades by next August. That is why we will honor our agreement with Iraq ’s democratically-elected government to remove combat troops from Iraqi cities by July, and to remove all our troops from Iraq by 2012. We will help Iraq train its Security Forces and develop its economy. But we will support a secure and united Iraq as a partner, and never as a patron.

And finally, just as America can never tolerate violence by extremists, we must never alter our principles. 9/11 was an enormous trauma to our country. The fear and anger that it provoked was understandable, but in some cases, it led us to act contrary to our ideals. We are taking concrete actions to change course. I have unequivocally prohibited the use of torture by the United States , and I have ordered the prison at Guantanamo Bay closed by early next year.

So America will defend itself respectful of the sovereignty of nations and the rule of law. And we will do so in partnership with Muslim communities which are also threatened. The sooner the extremists are isolated and unwelcome in Muslim communities, the sooner we will all be safer.

The second major source of tension that we need to discuss is the situation between Israelis, Palestinians and the Arab world.

America’s strong bonds with Israel are well known. This bond is unbreakable. It is based upon cultural and historical ties, and the recognition that the aspiration for a Jewish homeland is rooted in a tragic history that cannot be denied.

Around the world, the Jewish people were persecuted for centuries, and anti-Semitism in Europe culminated in an unprecedented Holocaust. Tomorrow, I will visit Buchenwald , which was part of a network of camps where Jews were enslaved, tortured, shot and gassed to death by the Third Reich. Six million Jews were killed – more than the entire Jewish population of Israel today. Denying that fact is baseless, ignorant, and hateful. Threatening Israel with destruction – or repeating vile stereotypes about Jews – is deeply wrong, and only serves to evoke in the minds of Israelis this most painful of memories while preventing the peace that the people of this region deserve.

On the other hand, it is also undeniable that the Palestinian people – Muslims and Christians – have suffered in pursuit of a homeland. For more than sixty years they have endured the pain of dislocation. Many wait in refugee camps in the West Bank, Gaza , and neighboring lands for a life of peace and security that they have never been able to lead. They endure the daily humiliations – large and small – that come with occupation. So let there be no doubt: the situation for the Palestinian people is intolerable. America will not turn our backs on the legitimate Palestinian aspiration for dignity, opportunity, and a state of their own.

For decades, there has been a stalemate: two peoples with legitimate aspirations, each with a painful history that makes compromise elusive. It is easy to point fingers – for Palestinians to point to the displacement brought by Israel ’s founding, and for Israelis to point to the constant hostility and attacks throughout its history from within its borders as well as beyond. But if we see this conflict only from one side or the other, then we will be blind to the truth: the only resolution is for the aspirations of both sides to be met through two states, where Israelis and Palestinians each live in peace and security.

That is in Israel ’s interest, Palestine ’s interest, America ’s interest, and the world’s interest. That is why I intend to personally pursue this outcome with all the patience that the task requires. The obligations that the parties have agreed to under the Road Map are clear. For peace to come, it is time for them – and all of us – to live up to our responsibilities.

Palestinians must abandon violence. Resistance through violence and killing is wrong and does not succeed. For centuries, black people in America suffered the lash of the whip as slaves and the humiliation of segregation. But it was not violence that won full and equal rights. It was a peaceful and determined insistence upon the ideals at the center of America ’s founding. This same story can be told by people from South Africa to South Asia; from Eastern Europe to Indonesia . It’s a story with a simple truth: that violence is a dead end. It is a sign of neither courage nor power to shoot rockets at sleeping children, or to blow up old women on a bus. That is not how moral authority is claimed; that is how it is surrendered.

Now is the time for Palestinians to focus on what they can build. The Palestinian Authority must develop its capacity to govern, with institutions that serve the needs of its people. Hamas does have support among some Palestinians, but they also have responsibilities. To play a role in fulfilling Palestinian aspirations, and to unify the Palestinian people, Hamas must put an end to violence, recognize past agreements, and recognize Israel’s right to exist.

At the same time, Israelis must acknowledge that just as Israel ’s right to exist cannot be denied, neither can Palestine ’s. The United States does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements. This construction violates previous agreements and undermines efforts to achieve peace. It is time for these settlements to stop.

Israel must also live up to its obligations to ensure that Palestinians can live, and work, and develop their society. And just as it devastates Palestinian families, the continuing humanitarian crisis in Gaza does not serve Israel ’s security; neither does the continuing lack of opportunity in the West Bank . Progress in the daily lives of the Palestinian people must be part of a road to peace, and Israel must take concrete steps to enable such progress.

Finally, the Arab States must recognize that the Arab Peace Initiative was an important beginning, but not the end of their responsibilities. The Arab-Israeli conflict should no longer be used to distract the people of Arab nations from other problems. Instead, it must be a cause for action to help the Palestinian people develop the institutions that will sustain their state; to recognize Israel ’s legitimacy; and to choose progress over a self-defeating focus on the past.

America will align our policies with those who pursue peace, and say in public what we say in private to Israelis and Palestinians and Arabs. We cannot impose peace. But privately, many Muslims recognize that Israel will not go away. Likewise, many Israelis recognize the need for a Palestinian state. It is time for us to act on what everyone knows to be true.

Too many tears have flowed. Too much blood has been shed. All of us have a responsibility to work for the day when the mothers of Israelis and Palestinians can see their children grow up without fear; when the Holy Land of three great faiths is the place of peace that God intended it to be; when Jerusalem is a secure and lasting home for Jews and Christians and Muslims, and a place for all of the children of Abraham to mingle peacefully together as in the story of Isra, when Moses, Jesus, and Mohammed (peace be upon them) joined in prayer.

The third source of tension is our shared interest in the rights and responsibilities of nations on nuclear weapons.

This issue has been a source of tension between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran. For many years, Iran has defined itself in part by its opposition to my country, and there is indeed a tumultuous history between us. In the middle of the Cold War, the United States played a role in the overthrow of a democratically-elected Iranian government. Since the Islamic Revolution, Iran has played a role in acts of hostage-taking and violence against U.S. troops and civilians. This history is well known. Rather than remain trapped in the past, I have made it clear to Iran ’s leaders and people that my country is prepared to move forward. The question, now, is not what Iran is against, but rather what future it wants to build.

It will be hard to overcome decades of mistrust, but we will proceed with courage, rectitude and resolve. There will be many issues to discuss between our two countries, and we are willing to move forward without preconditions on the basis of mutual respect. But it is clear to all concerned that when it comes to nuclear weapons, we have reached a decisive point. This is not simply about America ’s interests. It is about preventing a nuclear arms race in the Middle East that could lead this region and the world down a hugely dangerous path.

I understand those who protest that some countries have weapons that others do not. No single nation should pick and choose which nations hold nuclear weapons. That is why I strongly reaffirmed America ’s commitment to seek a world in which no nations hold nuclear weapons. And any nation – including Iran – should have the right to access peaceful nuclear power if it complies with its responsibilities under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. That commitment is at the core of the Treaty, and it must be kept for all who fully abide by it. And I am hopeful that all countries in the region can share in this goal.

The fourth issue that I will address is democracy.

I know there has been controversy about the promotion of democracy in recent years, and much of this controversy is connected to the war in Iraq . So let me be clear: no system of government can or should be imposed upon one nation by any other.

That does not lessen my commitment, however, to governments that reflect the will of the people. Each nation gives life to this principle in its own way, grounded in the traditions of its own people. America does not presume to know what is best for everyone, just as we would not presume to pick the outcome of a peaceful election. But I do have an unyielding belief that all people yearn for certain things: the ability to speak your mind and have a say in how you are governed; confidence in the rule of law and the equal administration of justice; government that is transparent and doesn’t steal from the people; the freedom to live as you choose. Those are not just American ideas, they are human rights, and that is why we will support them everywhere.

There is no straight line to realize this promise. But this much is clear: governments that protect these rights are ultimately more stable, successful and secure. Suppressing ideas never succeeds in making them go away. America respects the right of all peaceful and law-abiding voices to be heard around the world, even if we disagree with them. And we will welcome all elected, peaceful governments – provided they govern with respect for all their people.

This last point is important because there are some who advocate for democracy only when they are out of power; once in power, they are ruthless in suppressing the rights of others. No matter where it takes hold, government of the people and by the people sets a single standard for all who hold power: you must maintain your power through consent, not coercion; you must respect the rights of minorities, and participate with a spirit of tolerance and compromise; you must place the interests of your people and the legitimate workings of the political process above your party. Without these ingredients, elections alone do not make true democracy.

The fifth issue that we must address together is religious freedom.

Islam has a proud tradition of tolerance. We see it in the history of Andalusia and Cordoba during the Inquisition. I saw it firsthand as a child in Indonesia , where devout Christians worshiped freely in an overwhelmingly Muslim country. That is the spirit we need today. People in every country should be free to choose and live their faith based upon the persuasion of the mind, heart, and soul. This tolerance is essential for religion to thrive, but it is being challenged in many different ways.

Among some Muslims, there is a disturbing tendency to measure one’s own faith by the rejection of another’s. The richness of religious diversity must be upheld – whether it is for Maronites in Lebanon or the Copts in Egypt . And fault lines must be closed among Muslims as well, as the divisions between Sunni and Shia have led to tragic violence, particularly in Iraq .

Freedom of religion is central to the ability of peoples to live together. We must always examine the ways in which we protect it. For instance, in the United States , rules on charitable giving have made it harder for Muslims to fulfill their religious obligation. That is why I am committed to working with American Muslims to ensure that they can fulfill zakat.

Likewise, it is important for Western countries to avoid impeding Muslim citizens from practicing religion as they see fit – for instance, by dictating what clothes a Muslim woman should wear. We cannot disguise hostility towards any religion behind the pretence of liberalism.

Indeed, faith should bring us together. That is why we are forging service projects in America that bring together Christians, Muslims, and Jews. That is why we welcome efforts like Saudi Arabian King Abdullah’s Interfaith dialogue and Turkey ’s leadership in the Alliance of Civilizations. Around the world, we can turn dialogue into Interfaith service, so bridges between peoples lead to action – whether it is combating malaria in Africa , or providing relief after a natural disaster.

The sixth issue that I want to address is women’s rights.

I know there is debate about this issue. I reject the view of some in the West that a woman who chooses to cover her hair is somehow less equal, but I do believe that a woman who is denied an education is denied equality. And it is no coincidence that countries where women are well-educated are far more likely to be prosperous.

Now let me be clear: issues of women’s equality are by no means simply an issue for Islam. In Turkey , Pakistan , Bangladesh and Indonesia , we have seen Muslim-majority countries elect a woman to lead. Meanwhile, the struggle for women’s equality continues in many aspects of American life, and in countries around the world.

Our daughters can contribute just as much to society as our sons, and our common prosperity will be advanced by allowing all humanity – men and women – to reach their full potential. I do not believe that women must make the same choices as men in order to be equal, and I respect those women who choose to live their lives in traditional roles. But it should be their choice. That is why the United States will partner with any Muslim-majority country to support expanded literacy for girls, and to help young women pursue employment through micro-financing that helps people live their dreams.

Finally, I want to discuss economic development and opportunity.

I know that for many, the face of globalization is contradictory. The Internet and television can bring knowledge and information, but also offensive sexuality and mindless violence. Trade can bring new wealth and opportunities, but also huge disruptions and changing communities. In all nations – including my own – this change can bring fear. Fear that because of modernity we will lose of control over our economic choices, our politics, and most importantly our identities – those things we most cherish about our communities, our families, our traditions, and our faith.

But I also know that human progress cannot be denied. There need not be contradiction between development and tradition. Countries like Japan and South Korea grew their economies while maintaining distinct cultures. The same is true for the astonishing progress within Muslim-majority countries from Kuala Lumpur to Dubai . In ancient times and in our times, Muslim communities have been at the forefront of innovation and education.

This is important because no development strategy can be based only upon what comes out of the ground, nor can it be sustained while young people are out of work. Many Gulf States have enjoyed great wealth as a consequence of oil, and some are beginning to focus it on broader development. But all of us must recognize that education and innovation will be the currency of the 21st century, and in too many Muslim communities there remains underinvestment in these areas. I am emphasizing such investments within my country. And while America in the past has focused on oil and gas in this part of the world, we now seek a broader engagement.

On education, we will expand exchange programs, and increase scholarships, like the one that brought my father to America , while encouraging more Americans to study in Muslim communities. And we will match promising Muslim students with internships in America ; invest in on-line learning for teachers and children around the world; and create a new online network, so a teenager in Kansas can communicate instantly with a teenager in Cairo .

On economic development, we will create a new corps of business volunteers to partner with counterparts in Muslim-majority countries. And I will host a Summit on Entrepreneurship this year to identify how we can deepen ties between business leaders, foundations and social entrepreneurs in the United States and Muslim communities around the world.

On science and technology, we will launch a new fund to support technological development in Muslim-majority countries, and to help transfer ideas to the marketplace so they can create jobs. We will open centers of scientific excellence in Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia , and appoint new Science Envoys to collaborate on programs that develop new sources of energy, create green jobs, digitize records, clean water, and grow new crops. And today I am announcing a new global effort with the Organization of the Islamic Conference to eradicate polio. And we will also expand partnerships with Muslim communities to promote child and maternal health.

All these things must be done in partnership. Americans are ready to join with citizens and governments; community organizations, religious leaders, and businesses in Muslim communities around the world to help our people pursue a better life.

The issues that I have described will not be easy to address. But we have a responsibility to join together on behalf of the world we seek – a world where extremists no longer threaten our people, and American troops have come home; a world where Israelis and Palestinians are each secure in a state of their own, and nuclear energy is used for peaceful purposes; a world where governments serve their citizens, and the rights of all God’s children are respected. Those are mutual interests. That is the world we seek. But we can only achieve it together.

I know there are many – Muslim and non-Muslim – who question whether we can forge this new beginning. Some are eager to stoke the flames of division, and to stand in the way of progress. Some suggest that it isn’t worth the effort – that we are fated to disagree, and civilizations are doomed to clash. Many more are simply skeptical that real change can occur. There is so much fear, so much mistrust. But if we choose to be bound by the past, we will never move forward. And I want to particularly say this to young people of every faith, in every country – you, more than anyone, have the ability to remake this world.

All of us share this world for but a brief moment in time. The question is whether we spend that time focused on what pushes us apart, or whether we commit ourselves to an effort – a sustained effort – to find common ground, to focus on the future we seek for our children, and to respect the dignity of all human beings.

It is easier to start wars than to end them. It is easier to blame others than to look inward; to see what is different about someone than to find the things we share. But we should choose the right path, not just the easy path. There is also one rule that lies at the heart of every religion – that we do unto others as we would have them do unto us. This truth transcends nations and peoples – a belief that isn’t new; that isn’t black or white or brown; that isn’t Christian, or Muslim or Jew. It’s a belief that pulsed in the cradle of civilization, and that still beats in the heart of billions. It’s a faith in other people, and it’s what brought me here today.

We have the power to make the world we seek, but only if we have the courage to make a new beginning, keeping in mind what has been written.

The Holy Koran tells us, “O mankind! We have created you male and a female; and we have made you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another.”

The Talmud tells us: “The whole of the Torah is for the purpose of promoting peace.”

The Holy Bible tells us, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”

The people of the world can live together in peace. We know that is God’s vision. Now, that must be our work here on Earth. Thank you. And may God’s peace be upon you.

............BREAKING NEWS...................




Sufi Mohammad, Ameer Izzat arrested: ISPR

ISLAMABAD ( 2009-06-04 21:00:43 ) :DG ISPR Major General Ather Abbas has confirmed the arresting of TSNM chief Maulana Sufi Mohammad and his spokesman Maulana Ameer Izzat Khan, here on Thursday.

According to ISPR press realease, Syed Wahab, Salman Shah and Maulana Muhammad Alam has also arrested.AAJ TV REPORTING.

Obama Calls for Alliances With Muslims








New York Times
CAIRO — President Obama pledged on Thursday to “seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world,” imploring America and the Islamic world to drop their suspicions of one another and forge new alliances to confront violent extremism and heal religious divides.

In a speech at Cairo University, the president delivered a sweeping message that was forceful and at times scolding as he promoted democracy in Egypt, sent a warning to Israelis against building new settlements, and acknowledged that the United States had fallen short of its ideals, particularly in the Iraq war.

Mr. Obama offered few details for how to solve myriad problems and conflicts around the globe, but he offered up his own biography as a credible connection to his audience. While the message touched upon a litany of challenges, it boiled down to simply this: Barack Hussein Obama was standing at the podium as the American president.

“I am also proud to carry with me the goodwill of the American people, and a greeting of peace from Muslim communities in my country: assalaamu alaykum,” Mr. Obama said, delivering a common Muslim greeting.

The speech by Mr. Obama was the culmination of promise he made while running for president nearly two years ago. It was, perhaps, the riskiest speech of his young presidency, and Mr. Obama readily conceded that not every goal would be easily or quickly achieved.

“We have a responsibility to join together on behalf of the world we seek,” he said. “A world where extremists no longer threaten our people, and American troops have come home; a world where Israelis and Palestinians are each secure in a state of their own, and nuclear energy is used for peaceful purposes; a world where governments serve their citizens, and the rights of all God’s children are respected.”

His visit was being broadcast live on state-run television, which officials at the United States Embassy here said they pushed for so Mr. Obama’s message could reach a far wider audience than the 3,000 invited guests who gathered in the Major Reception Hall at Cairo University.

“I consider it part of my responsibility, as president of the United States to fight against negative stereotypes of Islam wherever they appear,” Mr. Obama said. “But that same principle must apply to Muslim perceptions of America. Just as Muslims do not fit a crude stereotype, America is not the crude stereotype of a self-interested empire.”

He strode onto the stage to loud applause and a standing ovation in the conference hall. He conceded that his speech came at “a time of great tension between the United States and Muslims around the world.”

But he sought to explain that he represented the new face of American leadership. He did not mention the name of George W. Bush, who preceded him in office, and whose policies contributed to the mistrust.

“America is not and never will be at war with Islam. We will, however, relentlessly confront violent extremists who pose a grave threat to our security,” Mr. Obama said. “Because we reject the same thing that people of all faiths reject: the killing of innocent men, women, and children.

He added, “It is my first duty as president to protect the American people.”

Mr. Obama said the terrorist attacks in the United States on Sept. 11, 2001 caused “enormous trauma to our country.” He offered no direct criticism of the previous administration, but reminded his audience that he has “unequivocally prohibited the use of torture” and has ordered the prison to be closed at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.

“The fear and anger that it provoked was understandable, but in some cases it led us to act contrary to our traditions and our ideals,” Mr. Obama said. “We are taking concrete actions to change course.”

That line, as well as many others, was met with booming applause from the crowd, often several seconds delayed because many in the audience were listening to the speech through a translator.

“We love you!” one man yelled from the audience halfway through the speech.

“Thank you,” Mr. Obama replied.

The president divided his speech into seven sections, often sounding like the university professor he was before he sought political office. He touched on “sources of tension” from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, democracy, religious freedom, women’s rights and economic development and opportunity.

He reserved some of his sharpest language for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He offered no major initiatives on Middle East peace process, but he put Israelis and Palestinians on notice that he intends to deal directly with what he sees as intransigence on key issues.

But notably, Mr. Obama referred several times to “Palestine,” rather than the more ambiguous term often used by American leaders, “future Palestinian state.”

He described the bond of the United States and Israel as “unbreakable,” and urged Hamas to stop violence. But in the next breath, Mr. Obama said Israel must curtail its West bank settlements and recognize Palestinian aspirations for statehood.

“Israelis must acknowledge that just as Israel’s right to exist cannot be denied, neither can Palestine’s,” Mr. Obama said. “The United States does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements. This construction violates previous agreements and undermines efforts to achieve peace. It is time for these settlements to stop.”

Mr. Obama arrived in Cairo at 9 a.m. (2 a.m. E.D.T.) and was greeted by the Egyptian foreign minister, Ahmad Aboul Gheit. The streets were empty as he traveled toward the Quabba Palace, except for soldiers who lined the sidewalks. In advance of his speech, he met with President Hosni Mubarak.

After President Mubarak welcomed Mr. Obama, he told reporters that the two leaders had discussed “all problems here in the region,” including “the situation and everything related to Iran and to the region.”

Mr. Obama said: “We discussed the situation between Israel and the Palestinians. We discussed how we can move forward in a constructive way that brings about peace and prosperity for all people in the region.

“America is committed to working in partnership with countries in the region so that all people can meet their aspirations,” he said. As his visit to the region began Wednesday in Saudi Arabia, Mr. Obama was greeted with reminders of the vast gulfs his address must bridge, as voices as disparate as Al Qaeda’s and the Israeli government’s competed to shape how Mr. Obama’s message would be heard.

In a new audiotape, Osama bin Laden condemned Mr. Obama for planting what he called new seeds of “hatred and vengeance” among Muslims, while in Jerusalem, senior Israeli officials complained that Mr. Obama was rewriting old understandings by taking a harder line against new Israeli settlements.

The speech that Mr. Obama delivered Thursday in Cairo is intended to make good on a two-year-old promise to use a major Muslim capital as the scene for a major address. Mr. Obama has pledged a new face and tone to relations between the United States and the Muslim world. But whether his expected call for America and Islam to come together can trump Mr. bin Laden’s call to arms is a question that could define Mr. Obama’s presidency in the years to come.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Terror threats continue to scare Peshawarites

PESHAWAR: The provincial capital was literally sealed due to terror threats on Wednesday, with the authorities checking every vehicle entering the urban areas and low flights of military helicopters in the city limits further scaring Peshawarites.

A mysterious loud explosion was heard in the morning in Phandu Road area after which the entire city police and rescuers rushed to the spot. However, nobody could confirm any blast.
With announcing closure of all the government and private educational institutions in Peshawar and neighbouring towns last month to avoid terror incidents, the University of Peshawar, NWFP Engineering University, Khyber Medical University and NWFP Agriculture University have also been closed for summer vacation well before schedule for security reasons.

Offices and shops in the Deans Plaza, the gigantic building hosting several hundred outlets, were closed after bombing threat on Tuesday and also remained closed on Wednesday. People avoided bringing cars on roads and preferred to take a cab after nobody was allowed to park car at the roadside in Saddar.

NWFP Senior Minister Bashir Ahmad Bilour Wednesday visited Qissa Khwani and other adjoining areas to boost morale of the public struck by the wave of violence in the recent past. “I am here in public to boost up their morale. I strongly believe that the day I am supposed to be in grave, I cannot spend at home,” opined the ANP leader, who escaped two suicide attacks.

Once known as the city of flowers, Peshawar is being considered “the line of fire” after initiation of military operation in Swat, tribal areas and settled districts of the NWFP. The prevailing situation reminds of the song of popular Pashto singer Gulzar Alam: ‘Ma darta tol umar da guloono khar wayalay day.... Kala mi perzo shey pa bamoono Pekhawara’ (I have always called you the city of flowers, how can I see you being bombed now).

Not only Geo Television frequently telecast the song but it could also be heard while travelling in public transport as well as in private cars and at public spots. Another song, ‘Pa Pekhawar ke parhar ma jorawa’, is also gaining popularity, which also signifies love for the capital city. So many other national songs are also getting popular with people.



Though Peshawar has been facing violence since long, the situation is alarming since May 11. Terrorists have struck for seven times in the city since the military operation was launched in Swat, resulting in the killing of around 50 people and injuring over 300 others.

The security arrangements, especially the unnecessary imposition of Section 144 of the CrPC, have multiplying sufferings of the motorists and other people. Nevertheless, the government and its law-enforcement agencies are struggling against the powerful gangs of kidnappers, as the menace became order of the day, licensed pistols are not being allowed to the public for their personal security.

“I have never carried a pistol and I will never do so if the government promises me that I will not be kidnapped,” remarked Javed Khan, who suffered for long at the barricade in front of PIA building for having a licensed pistol. He added that the Section 144 should prohibit brandishing of weapons but the policemen even pulled out his pistol from the dashboard of the car.

Obama starts Mideast tour in Saudi Arabia, 'where Islam began'







From the Los Angeles Times
The president is set to address Muslims in a Cairo speech Thursday. Meanwhile, an audiotape attributed to Osama bin Laden assails the president over Pakistan fighting.
By Christi Parsons and Mark Silva
Reporting from Washington and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — President Obama landed today in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, which he saluted as "the place where Islam began," for the start of a long-planned trip intended to improve the tattered U.S. relationship with the Muslim world.

The centerpiece of the president's trip will be a speech Thursday in Cairo, billed as an address to Muslims, in which, advisors say, Obama will transmit a message based on shared roots, common experience and mutual respect.

Yet, even as he landed, the Arab-language Al Jazeera satellite television station was airing an audiotape attributed to Osama bin Laden accusing President Obama of inflaming hatred with stepped-up U.S. and Pakistani assaults against militants inside Pakistan.

The president was holding private meetings today with King Abdullah on Mideast peace negotiations, regional security and energy issues, with a planned overnight stay at the king's ranch outside Riyadh.

"I thought it was very important to come to the place where Islam began and to seek his majesty's counsel and to discuss with him many of the issues that we confront here in the Middle East," Obama said before a private meeting with the king. "I am confident that working together the United States and Saudi Arabia can make progress on a whole host of issues and mutual interests."

Abdullah, speaking through a translator, said: "The historic and strategic ties between our two countries . . . go back to the time of the meeting between the late Franklin Delano Roosevelt and the late King Abdul-Aziz." He voiced goodwill toward "the friendly American people who are represented by a distinguished man who deserves to be in this position."

Thursday's address from Cairo University, which will be televised and distributed at websites in an attempt to reach the broadest possible international audience, marks a formal attempt by the president to reengage the United States with the leaders and people of Muslim nations, many alienated by the past administration's prosecution of the war in Iraq and its practices in the detainment, treatment and interrogation of suspected terrorists in the region and at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

At the same time, the White House readily concedes that no single address can cause a sea change in U.S. relations with those living in Muslim nations and territories, where, polling shows, a majority hold a dim view of the American administration, particularly in the Palestinian territories.

"The president has always looked at this as a process, not as a single point in time," Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary, said on the eve of the president's journey. "If you look at the efforts that the administration has undertaken thus far in terms of outreach -- whether it's in interviews, whether it's speeches, the speech in Turkey -- this is about resetting our relationship with the Muslim world. . . . I think you'll hear the president say we don't expect that everything will change after one speech. I think it will take a sustained effort, and that's what the president is in for."

But the aim of the president's previous tour of Turkey, the Cairo address and continuing diplomatic initiatives in the region is clear, the White House spokesman says:

"What is important is that we demonstrate that the United States wants to pursue a different relationship and ensure that Muslims around the world understand the message of the United States: That we share common hopes and dreams and that we can work together to fulfill those hopes and dreams . . . separating that from the extremism and extremists that wish to do us harm."

Following a red-carpeted arrival ceremony with the king at the royal airport terminal, Obama traveled by motorcade to the farm outside Riyadh where Abdullah keeps a stable of more than 100 stallions. He was scheduled to spend the night there.

Arriving at the king's ranch, Obama was greeted by Saudi guards astride horses. Inside a palatial meeting room, the king and president sat side by side in armchairs beneath a portrait of King Abdul Aziz al Saud. In chairs lining the walls, a long row of Saudi ministers in white robes sat opposite their American counterparts.

Saudi Arabia is a key part of Obama's plan for Mideast peace. The White House has been pressuring Israel to give ground on the volatile issue of Jewish settlements in Palestinian territory, planning to use that to coax concessions from moderate Arab states.

Progress on Mideast peace talks, in turn, is crucial to Obama's goal of improving U.S. standing among Muslims. The American image has been tarnished by the invasion of Iraq and U.S. detainee policies but also has suffered from perceptions that U.S. administrations unquestioningly back Israeli interests against Palestinians.

Obama has altered U.S. policy on Iraq and detention practices, and now wants to show progress on Mideast peace.

Obama last week called the speech in Cairo an opportunity to deliver a "broader message about how the United States can change for the better" its relationship with the Muslim world.

"That will require, I think, a recognition on both the part of the United States as well as many majority-Muslim countries about each other, a better sense of understanding and the possibilities of achieving common ground," he said.

Polls in Arab nations show that approval of the U.S. leadership, though still generally low, has risen in Egypt and seven other countries since Obama took office.

Obama's address at Cairo University will be jointly hosted by Al Azhar University, an ancient center of Islamic scholarship. He plans to recognize contributions of Middle Eastern scholars to science, mathematics and technology and cite the millions of Muslims who live and practice their faith in the U.S. He also will address the subject of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

From Cairo, Obama plans to travel to Europe for events and appearances commemorating Allied efforts in World War II. The president will visit the Nazi concentration camp at Buchenwald, in Germany, and mark the 65th anniversary of the allied landing at Normandy, France.

U.S. nationals asked not to visit Pakistan's Peshawar

ISLAMABAD-- The United States embassy in Islamabad asked its nationals and officers in Pakistan not to visit the northwestern's Peshawar city in the next 24 hours due to security concerns, a U.S. embassy notification said on Tuesday. The U.S. nationals were also asked to avoid visiting public places and that they should not inform anyone about their routes, according to private Geo TV channel. The U.S. embassy asked its nationals to take steps for their security. They were also asked to keep their documents all the time. Security forces are fighting militants in the northwestern partof the country and Taliban earlier warned that they would carry out attacks in some major cities.

U.S. criticizes Pakistan for release of militant

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Wednesday strongly criticized the release by a Pakistani court of the founder of a militant group accused of being behind the attacks on the Indian city of Mumbai last year.

On Tuesday, a Pakistani high court ordered the release of Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, founder of the group Lashkar-e-Taiba, which angered India as well as the United States. At least 166 people were killed in the attacks on India's financial hub.

Washington is worried about the stability of nuclear-armed Pakistan, which faces a growing Taliban insurgency, and it wants action against such militants to help defeat al Qaeda and disrupt support for the Taliban in Afghanistan.

"In the aftermath of the November Mumbai attacks we made very clear that there is an international responsibility to cooperate and to bring the perpetrators to justice and that Pakistan has a special responsibility to do so, transparently, fully and urgently," said State Department spokesman Robert Wood.

"Pakistan has said it is committed to fighting terrorism, understood the urgency and had promised strong action against those responsible," he told Reuters.

India has charged 38 people -- most residents of Pakistan -- in connection with the three-day attack, in which police say gunmen landed in Mumbai by boat from Pakistan and then rampaged through several of the city's landmarks including the main train station, two luxury hotels and a Jewish center.

Wood said the United States did not yet know details of the court's decision and was seeking more information.

Saeed was put under house arrest in early December after a U.N. Security Council committee added him and the Islamist charity he heads to a list of people and organizations linked to al Qaeda or the Taliban.

"We continue to impress upon the government of Pakistan the importance of bringing the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks to justice," said Wood.

"We encourage the prosecution of those already in custody and further investigations to develop evidence to prosecute all those responsible for acts of terrorism," Wood added.

'TOUGH LOVE' FOR PAKISTAN

Pakistan expert Bruce Riedel, who oversaw the Obama administration's overhaul of Afghanistan and Pakistan policy earlier this year, said Saeed's release indicated a lack of commitment in fighting extremism by the close U.S. ally.

"There is no question that it (Lashkar-e-Taiba) planned, orchestrated -- down to the minute -- the mayhem and murder that happened in Mumbai," said Riedel, with the Saban Center at the Brookings Institution in Washington.

"Letting this guy go is a signal that the Pakistanis are not serious about the most important terrorist organization in their country," added Riedel, a former CIA analyst.

The Obama administration has said repeatedly Pakistan's government must do more to fight extremism that is spilling over into Afghanistan, linking U.S. assistance to fulfilling that commitment.

Riedel questioned whether the Pakistani military's offensive in the Swat valley against the Taliban was really a "sea change" or just what he described as a half-hearted attempt to stamp out militants.

"It all comes down to the (Pakistani) army and whether they are serious. The evidence there remains very mixed," he said.

Riedel said he expected U.S. special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, would deliver a tough message during his visit this week to Pakistan.

"I think that the U.S.-Pakistan relationship will be one of tough love in which we are constantly pushing them to do more. There is no other alternative."