Opinion Times Scare
A register of reports and views from the Pakistan press....
Pakistan earned another association with terrorism,in the form of Faisal Shehzad. Dawn reported on May 3: The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility in a video for the attempted car bomb attack in Times Square in New York City. In the video,allegedly,the group says the attack is revenge for the death of Baitullah Mehsud and the recent slaying of leaders of Al Qaeda in Iraq… If the claim is genuine,it would be the first time the Pakistani Taliban have struck outside South Asia. Augmenting this view was another video,reported Daily Times on May 4: Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Hakeemullah Mehsud appeared in a video… speaking in Pashto with English subtitles… Praise be to God,on the 4th day of April 2010,I give good news to the Muslim world about being alive and healthy… Taliban have penetrated terrorist America… and will give extremely painful blows to fanatic America.
Meanwhile,Pakistans law enforcement agencies swung into action and picked up two suspects a friend and father-in-law of Faisal Shahzad, reported Dawn on May 5. Another report quoted Shehzads neighbours: Villagers of Mohib Banda in Pabbi,Nowshera,said members of Shahzads family believed he had been implicated in a false case. However,TTPs latest statement is not helping Shehzad,reported Dawn on May 7: TTP denied any role… but praised the suspect for a brave job.
Justice for Benazir
After the UN,the job of nailing Benazirs killers has fallen on her own party. The News quoted Defence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar as saying: The UN report on the assassination… was still incomplete. The fact finding mission constituted by PM Yousuf Raza Gilani will finalise its report in eight days,which will pave the way for arrest of real culprits. Daily Times added on May 4: Former President Pervez Musharraf,Interior Minister Rehman Malik,Law Minister Babar Awan and PPP leader Naheed Khan will be included in the investigation … a core committee meeting of the PPP decided. Khizar Hayat,one of Benazirs drivers made a startling revelation,reported Dawn on May 5: Hayat… who was driving her back-up Mercedes at the time of her assassination,has given,for the first time,an eyewitness account of the tragic event and said four PPP leaders who were in the car did not get out to see what had happened to her. One of them was Malik.
Kasabs sentence
The News on May 7 quoted the foreign office spokesman on Pakistans official reaction to the death sentence handed to Ajmal Kasab. We have seen the reported judgment… Our legal experts need to go through the detailed judgment. At this stage,what I can tell you is Pakistan has strongly condemned the horrific Mumbai attacks. It is important that culprits be brought to justice. Dawn reported another link to the Kasab story on May 7: The Supreme Court asked for the confessional statement of Kasab… A three-judge bench… had taken up appeals of Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi,one of the suspects being tried by an anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi. Khawaja Sultan Ahmed,representing Lakhvi,was asked to submit Kasabs confessional statement,both in English and Hindi. Mr Ahmed had requested the apex court to restrain the trial court and the prosecution from using Kasabs confessional statement as evidence against Lakhvi.
Marriott let-off
Acquittal of deadly suspects is not only on Indias mind,but also on Pakistans. On May 6,The News reported: The Anti-Terrorism Court No.1 acquitted the accused involved in the Marriott Hotel attack case as the police failed to provide evidence against them.
Case dismissed?
The News reported the most shocking news on the morning of May 7. The Supreme Court was shocked when the attorney general of Pakistan made a statement that the matter pertaining to the Swiss cases had been closed and there was no need for communication with the Swiss authorities for the reopening of cases against President Zardari.
Tug of Wa(te)r
India and Pakistans tussle over water continues,reported Dawn on May 3: Pakistan has finally decided to approach the International Court of Arbitration against construction of the controversial Kishanganga Hydropower Project by India in alleged violation of 1960 Indus Waters Treaty and has formed a team of legal experts to fight the case. Another report added: Foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Pakistan had returned to its historical stand on the Kashmir issue after wavering by the previous regime and would fight all legal battles with India for water rights.
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