No fair trial: Govt to take Afzal Guru’s execution to Hague court

Kashmiri freedom fighter Afzal Guru. PHOTO: AFP

ISLAMABAD: 

Ministry of Kashmir Affairs has asked the Foreign Office to take the execution of Kashmiri freedom fighter Afzal Guru to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the ground that he was not given a fair trial.

“I have formally asked the foreign affairs ministry to complete all the formalities to take up the execution of Afzal Guru to the international court of Justice, seeking a justice for the Kashmiri freedom fighter even after his death,” said Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Barjis Tahir.

Indian government executed Afzal Guru in the Tihar Jail in New Delhi on February 9 2013 for allegedly masterminding the attack on the Indian Parliament in 2001. The execution had sparked criticism and raised many questions from across the world over the fair trial by the Indian authorities.

Indian authorities arrested Guru in 2001 and claimed that he was involved in planning the attack on the Indian Parliament back in a 2001 that left 14 people dead.

He said the Indian courts convicted and subsequently hanged him without having ample evidence of his involvement in the attack on parliament and even his body was not handed over to his family.

Earlier, on the occasion of Kashmir Solidarity Day on February 5, 2014, Barjis Tahir at a TV talk show had pledged to take the case of Guru to the International Court of Justice.

The step was taken after the revelation of the brutalities committed by the Indian security forces on Guru in the Jail and it was revealed in a book of an Indian author Arundhati Roy, who referred to some Indian investigators, who confessed on committing serious atrocities on the freedom fighter.

Roy mentioned of an investigator and deputy superintendent of Indian police, who admitted of torturing Guru by burning his body and electrocuting him after filling his stomach with petrol.

She further quoted the DSP that despite subjecting Guru with worse atrocities, they failed to make him confess the crime.

Guru had been on death row since first being convicted in 2002. Subsequent appeals in higher courts were also rejected, and India’s Supreme Court set an October 2006 date for execution. But his execution was delayed after his wife filed a mercy petition with India’s president.

That petition, the last step in the judicial process, was turned down in the first week of February 2013 and he was executed on February 9, 2013.

New labour laws: Around 4,000 Pakistanis languish in Saudi detention centres

A labourer works at a construction site in Riyadh. PHOTO: REUTERS

LAHORE: More than 4,000 Pakistani immigrant workers in Saudi Arabia are held in various detention centres across the kingdom for non-compliance with new labour laws that were introduced last year, Express News reported on Sunday.

In a video obtained by Express News, Pakistani men held in one of such detention centres said that their Arab sponsors demand approximately $4,000 to $5,300 to sign documents without which they cannot have proper residence permits. In the video, detainees also expressed their frustration about their living conditions.

Many Pakistanis who were living in Saudi Arabia at the time these new laws were introduced had paid hefty sums, sometimes more than $6,000, to have a valid visa to Saudi Arabia.

The Associated Press of Pakistan reported late January that the status of more than 950,000 Pakistani workers affected by the legislation had been regularised but many still remained without proper documentation.

Nuclear weapons are not safe in the US

In the US, 34 nuclear missile officers were implicated in a cheating scandal and were later stripped of their credentials. PHOTO: REUTERS

The world is once again taken aback by the news coming from print and electronic media about the safety and security of nuclear arsenals of the United States. The surprise is intensified because the US keeps warning other nuclear states about safety measures.

The largest breach of security in US’s nuclear force took place on January 15, 2014, when 34 nuclear missile officers were implicated in a cheating scandal and were later stripped of their credentials. However, within a matter of 10 days the number of officers implicated reached 90, more than double of the original number.

This means that more than one-third of the certified launch officers at Malmstrom and approximately 14% of the entire air force cadre of nuclear missile launch control officers were involved in the scandal. Malmstrom is considered home to the 341^st Missile Wing, which is one of three Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles ICBM groups.

Lt Col John Sheets, a spokesman for air force Global Strike Command, who manages the nuclear air force, refused to comment on the number of additional officers associated with the cheating scandal.

Reports further revealed that these officers used unfair means to pass the monthly test on their knowledge of how to operate the missiles. They texted the answers to each other during the assessment test. It is pertinent to note that these officers maintain and operate 450 of the nation’s nuclear missiles.

The scandal emerged during drugs investigation that included two of the 34 officers. The drug investigation encompassed 11 air force officers across six bases in the US and England.

The six air bases are:

1) Edward Air Force Base, California,

2) Malmstorm Air Force Base, Montana,

3) Vandenberg Air Force Base, California,

4) F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming,

5) Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado and

6) RAF Lakenheath in England.

Among these, the first two bases are the ones where the current drugs and cheating scandal took place. The most threatening issue is that nearly 450 ICBMs are currently deployed at these six airbases. The ICBMs are considered the most vulnerable to mishandling, accidental launch and unauthorised instigation.

According to a map issued by the Public Emergency Management Agency, these ICBMs are pointed towards Russia. Any destruction caused by an accidental or unauthorised launch by these apparent, drugs addicted officers, will be catastrophic.

Recently, the Associated Press has reported a lack of security and morale amongst the crew that is deployed on these bases. The crew is unsure regarding their careers and see it as unpromising.

Nuclear security issues in the US are not just limited to the lower level; the issue exists at the top as well. In October 2013, Major General Michael Carey, commander of all land-based US missiles, was relieved of his duties for being drunk during an official visit to Russia. Interestingly, in his speech, General Michael Carey, said that,

“We save the world from war every day.”

Ironically, he said this in a drunken state and the reality is that his crew would have led the world towards devastation had he remained in-charge.

Deborah James, the new air force secretary said this was the failure of a few officers, not the failure of the entire nuclear mission. This, however, I don’t seem to understand, it won’t take a mission to fail, it would take just one officer to make that happen.

Earlier in 2008, the US Defence Department, by mistake, shipped ballistic missile components to Taiwan. The global community was flabbergasted and raised concerns on such a major security lapse from the United States but, instead of taking pre-emptive measures, the US continues to point fingers on other states for their security structures, all the while ignoring its own shortcomings.

Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel, last week, gave authoritative instructions to complete the review of ICBM forces in order to find additional lapses in safety and security.

Many questions come to mind at this point.

Are the US Missiles safe from its own officers?

Is it necessary for the US to keep 450 ICBMs?

For these answers, we’ll wait for the review of the ICBM forces structure. The review will be all about examining the health of the nuclear force and to pin point issues that affect the morale, professionalism and performance of the people who make up that force.

Unfortunately, the dream of the Global Zero hasn’t materialised in its true essence yet.

According to latest estimates, the US possesses an active stockpile of approximately 4,650 nuclear warheads. The presence of having more powerful nuclear weapons, 50 times more destructive than the bombs that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, is alarming.

Very few nuclear weapons are enough to destroy an entire planet; the US alone possesses thousands, and disturbingly enough, these nukes are left in the hands of unprofessional drugs addicts. The level of irresponsibility, coupled with recent events, makes one wonder about the vulnerable position in which the US has placed our world

Textile: Industry opposes increase in sales tax

PTEA office bearers urged the government to drop the proposal for increase in sales tax. PHOTO:FILE

FAISALABAD: 

The Pakistan Textile Exporters Association (PTEA) has strongly opposed the proposed increase in sales tax and changes in tax regime, saying that this will create a negative impact on textile exports.

PTEA Chairman Sheikh Ilyas Mahmood said that this move would adversely affect exports at a time when huge amount of sales tax refunds are already stuck up with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).

“The textile export sector has already been reeling under severe energy shortage, hike in tariffs, and high cost of production,” he said, adding that in the prevailing economic conditions, a rising cost of production is the core issue for textile exporters.

PTEA office bearers urged the government to drop the proposal for increase in sales tax and demanded the resumption of the zero rating schemes in the better interest of the textile industry to increase country’s exports along with attracting investment.

Freight train services to be expanded next year: Rafique

Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique inaugurates container special train at the dry port in Mughalpura, Lahore on Saturday. PHOTO: PID

LAHORE: 

There will be around 90 to 100 dedicated locomotives available for freight purposes till next year in order to make the sector vibrant, said Pakistan Railways (PR) Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique at the PR dry port yesterday.

Presently, PR has only eight locomotives and Rafique said more were the need of the hour. The PR has resumed freight train services after almost three-and-a-half years to increase the organisation’s earnings.

Rafique added that passenger and freight train services would not succumb to pressure, saying that the management had authority to make decisions in the interest of the organisation.

“I was under pressure from parliamentarians for the restoration and suspension of some services but this is an issue that would be dealt by the management,” said Rafique.

The PR has suffered a huge financial loss with this year’s alone calculated at Rs33.50 billion, said Rafique, adding that efforts were under way to reduce the number. However, PR, during the current year, has already spent Rs3 billion above its target.

Responding to a question over the death of a pensioner employee in office premises, Rafique said the pay and pension system was being automated and it would take almost two to three years to complete the task. Presently, 250 pensioners were getting their money through this system and, after three years, everyone would be able to avail the facility, Rafiq added.

Rafique admitted that there was no vision to restore the entity in the past but efforts are now under way to make it a profitable organisation. In the upcoming Public Sector Development Programme, sufficient funds would be allocated to PR, Rafique added. “We would maintain balance between rail and road freight with the induction of more locomotives.

“The PR was facing a shortage of honest and dedicated human resource to implement good policies and make the organisation financially vibrant.”

Freight business at Mughalpura dry port was brought to a halt three-and-a-half years ago. The port was established in 1974 over an area of 250 kanals, having six sheds to house 324 wagons. Till today, about eight freight trains have reached the dry port . In addition to Mughalpura, Fasialabad dry port had also become operational.

Energy mix: Pakistan to increase generation capacity, says Dar

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in a meeting with vice president of European Investment Bank Magdalena Alvarez Arza. PHOTO: PID

ISLAMABAD: 

Finance Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar said on Saturday that the government is fully geared towards increasing the country’s existing 19,000 megawatt (MW) power potential to 24,000 MW over the next four years in order to address the country’s growing commercial and industrial sectors energy needs.

Talking to European Investment Bank (EIB) Vice President Magdalena Alverez Arza, the minister said that Pakistan actually has inherited the wrong energy mix which is heavily tilted in favour of expensive thermal power generation that needs to be reversed.

He said that in the short to medium term, the government believes in increasing the country’s power generation potential up to 24,000 MW. Dar said that Pakistan has a generation capacity 19,000 MW on the Indus River cascading down to the plains of the country from its place of origin and this power generation potential can attract overseas investment.

The minister took this opportunity to explain to the vice president of EIB the salient features of the proposed Dasu Hydropower Project which has a predesigned feature of building a water reservoir that can support Pakistan’s power and water related needs if overseas investment also is packaged in it. He explained that the global commercial market and multilateral donors have expressed interest in offering structured investments in Pakistan.

Dar said that the present government in Pakistan has developed a policy whereby local and overseas investors are fully protected. He further said that sovereign guarantees through well designed financial instruments are available and offer attractive returns to the overseas energy sector investors that can secure their investment-related economic interests.

He further briefed the vice president on Pakistan’s recently successful review with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) by completing all significant procedures, entitling release of the third tranche to Pakistan under Extended Fund Facility. Speaking on the occasion, Arza said that her bank would support renewable energy projects in Pakistan since the country has been blessed with tremendous opportunities in renewable power generation sector which need to be fully tapped as it remains unexplored and under-utilised.

She said that the EIB is looking forward to Pakistan’s work on wind power projects to meet its enhanced energy needs, adding that the EIB has a structured mandate to support power projects through capacity building of Pakistan’s relevant stakeholders. Arza shared her bank’s views as to whether Pakistan would prefer to use the same mode of financing as EIB currently is engaged in offering during the course of its energy related investment in Central Asian Republics.

She assured that her bank would analyse Pakistan’s overall renewable and hydro energy generation potential for possible future investment in the country. Secretaries Finance Division, Economic Affairs Division and Water and Power Division were also present in the meeting.

Portal tries to offer all solutions to auto lovers

Topline: 100% is the revenue growth claimed by pakwheels.com

LAHORE: 

At a time when business and shopping portals are fast emerging in the online marketplace to grab consumer attention, pakwheels.com is a prominent name for those whose life revolves around the automobile industry.

“This is not just a web portal where one can buy or sell a car. Our platform is trying to offer each and every solution to individuals and the industry as a whole,” said Muhammad Raza Saeed, Chief Executive Officer of Pak Wheels.com in an interview with The Express Tribune.

Initiated in 2003 from Karachi in a bid to provide a platform for interaction between owners of vintage and heavy vehicles, the website has evolved over the years with the addition of new features.

These include automotive reviews and news, automotive prices, solutions to different needs, breakdown of taxes on the import of a car, personal car maintenance, workshop recommendations and others.

The portal has focused on providing each and every solution for its visitors only a click away. “Our strength is our community which discusses its views and interacts online every day and this strength is growing day by day,” Saeed said.

Since this is one of the first portals in Pakistan, many auto lovers overseas, who wish to get connected to the country’s auto industry or want to exchange a car, visit this site regularly, according to Saeed. “Around 20% of our traffic consists of overseas visitors,” he said.

With the shift in technology and growing internet usage, Saeed believes more and more people will turn to online shopping. “As internet penetration increases, we want to be the answer to the automotive needs of every Pakistani,” he said.

At present, the web traffic is over 25 million visitors who view 250 million pages each year, according to Saeed. He did not share financial details of his web portal, but put revenue growth at more than 100% per annum. “Many luxurious brands and other companies prefer our site for advertising,” he added.

The portal management also focuses on highlighting the auto industry issues and arranging auto shows in order to provide an opportunity for website visitors to showcase their vintage and luxury cars.

The portal is trying to transform the mechanism for sale and purchase of used cars, but has faced resistance from traditional car dealers.

“Change is something that is not accepted easily. In the beginning, car dealers resisted this idea but later found it to be a much better and updated platform for doing business and saving time,” he said.

Currently, over 6,000 car dealers are registered and are working with the portal, according to Saeed.

The company also seeks to engage consumers a step before going to purchase a vehicle by providing them with research data of cars, bikes and other automotive needs. This research will include a host of tools to help the consumers make a right choice.