ਬਰਤਾਨੀਆ ਦੀ ਪੁਲਿਸ 'ਤੇ ਇੱਕ ਸਾਲ 'ਚ 1000 ਤੋਂ ਵੱਧ ਲੱਗਦੇ ਹਨ ਨਸਲਵਾਦ ਦੇ ਦੋਸ਼

ਨੌਟਿੰਘਮਸ਼ਾਇਰ ਦੇ ਇੱਕ ਪੁਲਿਸ ਅਫਸਰ ਤੇ ਫੇਸਬੁੱਕ 'ਤੇ ਇੱਕ ਕੰਪਨੀ ਦੇ ਭਾਰਤ ਸਥਿਤ
ਕਾਲ ਸੈਂਟਰ ਦੇ ਸਟਾਫ ਬਾਰੇ ਨਸਲੀ ਟਿਪਣੀ ਦਾ ਦੋਸ਼

ਮੈਟਰੋਪੋਲੀਟਨ ਪੁਲਿਸ ਸਕਾਟਲੈਂਡ ਯਾਰਡ

ਲੰਡਨ, 8 ਅਪ੍ਰੈਲ - ਬਰਤਾਨੀਆ 'ਚ ਲੰਡਨ ਦੀ ਮੈਟਰੋਪੋਲਿਟਨ ਪੁਲਿਸ 'ਚ ਨਸਲਵਾਦ ਨੂੰ ਲੈ ਕੇ ਲਗਾਤਾਰ ਵਿਵਾਦ ਚੱਲ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ। ਫਰੀਡਮ ਆਫ ਇਨਫਰਮੇਸ਼ਨ ਐਕਟ ਰਾਹੀਂ ਪ੍ਰਾਪਤ ਜਾਣਕਾਰੀ 'ਚ ਦੱਸਿਆ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ ਕਿ 120 ਪੁਲਿਸ ਅਧਿਕਾਰੀ ਨਸਲਵਾਦ ਦੇ ਦੋਸ਼ਾਂ 'ਚ ਦੋਸ਼ੀ ਪਾਏ ਗਏ ਹਨ, ਜਿਨ੍ਹਾਂ 'ਚੋਂ ਸਿਰਫ ਇੱਕ ਨੂੰ ਹੀ ਮੁਅੱਤਲ ਕੀਤਾ ਗਿਆ, ਜਦਕਿ ਸਿਰਫ 12 ਅਧਿਕਾਰੀਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਲਿਖਤੀ ਨੋਟਿਸ, 21 ਅਧਿਕਾਰੀਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਅਨੁਸ਼ਾਸਨ ਭੰਗ ਕਰਨ ਦਾ ਨੋਟਿਸ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਗਿਆ। ਜਿਨ੍ਹਾਂ 'ਚੋਂ 8 ਨੂੰ ਜੁਰਮਾਨਾ, 6 ਨੂੰ ਜਬਰੀ ਅਸਤੀਫਾ ਦੇਣ ਲਈ ਕਿਹਾ ਗਿਆ। ਪਿਛਲੇ ਤਿੰਨ ਸਾਲਾਂ 'ਚ ਇਕੱਲੇ ਲੰਡਨ 'ਚ 1339 ਪੁਲਿਸ ਅਧਿਕਾਰੀਆਂ ਖਿਲਾਫ਼ ਨਸਲਵਾਦ ਦਾ ਵਿਵਹਾਰ ਕਰਨ ਦੇ ਦੋਸ਼ ਲੱਗੇ ਹਨ। ਇਸੇ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੌਟਿੰਘਮਸ਼ਾਇਰ ਦੇ ਇੱਕ ਪੁਲਿਸ ਅਫਸਰ ਨੇ ਫੇਸਬੁੱਕ 'ਤੇ ਇੱਕ ਕੰਪਨੀ ਦੇ ਭਾਰਤ ਸਥਿਤ ਕਾਲ ਸੈਂਟਰ ਦੇ ਸਟਾਫ ਬਾਰੇ ਨਸਲੀ ਟਿਪਣੀ ਕੀਤੀ, ਜਿਸ ਨੂੰ ਬਾਅਦ 'ਚ ਅਨੁਸ਼ਾਸਨ ਭੰਗ ਕਰਨ ਦੀ ਕਾਰਵਾਈ ਦਾ ਸਾਹਮਣਾ ਕਰਨਾ ਪਿਆ। ਲੰਡਨ 'ਚ ਭਾਰਤੀ ਮੂਲ ਦੇ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਸਮੇਤ ਵੱਡੀ ਗਿਣਤੀ 'ਚ ਹੋਰ ਮੁਲਕਾਂ ਦੇ ਲੋਕ ਰਹਿੰਦੇ ਹਨ। ਏਸ਼ੀਆਈ ਮੂਲ ਦੇ ਸਾਂਸਦ ਕੀਥ ਵਾਜ ਨੇ ਦੱਸਿਆ ਕਿ ਮੈਟਰੋਪੋਲੀਟਨ ਪੁਲਿਸ ਵਿਚ ਅੱਜ ਵੀ ਕਾਫੀ ਗਿਣਤੀ ਵਿਚ ਕਾਲੇ ਅਤੇ ਏਸ਼ੀਆਈ ਮੂਲ ਦੇ ਅਧਿਕਾਰੀਆਂ ਦੀ ਘਾਟ ਹੈ। ਸਕਾਟਲੈਂਡ ਯਾਰਡ ਦੇ ਇਕ ਸੀਨੀਅਰ ਅਧਿਕਾਰੀ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਇਸ ਮੁੱਦੇ 'ਤੇ ਪੁਲਿਸ ਨੂੰ ਪਿਛਲੇ ਇਕ ਦਹਾਕੇ ਤੋਂ ਦਿੱਤੀਆਂ ਜਾ ਰਹੀਆਂ ਚਿਤਾਵਨੀਆਂ ਦਾ ਕੋਈ ਅਸਰ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੋਇਆ। ਮੈਟਰੋਪੋਲੀਟਨ ਪੁਲਿਸ ਦੇ ਉਪ ਮੁਖੀ ਕ੍ਰੇਗ ਮਕੇ ਦਾ ਕਹਿਣਾ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਨਸਲਵਾਦ ਨੂੰ ਬਰਦਾਸ਼ਤ ਨਹੀਂ ਕੀਤਾ ਜਾਵੇਗਾ। ਡਰਾਉਣਾ ਧਮਕਾਉਣਾ, ਦੁਰਵਿਹਾਰ, ਹਮਲਾ ਜਾਂ ਮਾਰ ਕੁੱਟ ਨਸਲਵਾਦੀ ਰਵੱਈਏ ਤਹਿਤ ਆਉਂਦੇ ਹਨ। ਲੰਡਨ ਦੇ ਮੇਅਰ ਨੇ ਵੀ ਮੰਨਿਆਂ ਕਿ ਇਹ ਗੰਭੀਰ ਮਾਮਲਾ ਹੈ। ਬੀਤੇ ਦਿਨੀ ਇੱਕ ਪਾਕਿਸਤਾਨੀ ਮੂਲ ਦੇ ਰੈਸਟੋਰੈਂਟ ਦੇ ਮੈਨੇਜਰ ਨਾਲ ਕੀਤਾ ਨਸਲੀ ਵਿਤਕਰਾ ਅੱਜ-ਕਲ੍ਹ ਕਾਫੀ ਚਰਚਾ 'ਚ ਹੈ।

ਆਸਟ੍ਰੇਲੀਅਨ ਸਿੱਖ ਖੇਡਾਂ ਦੇ ਦੂਸਰੇ ਦਿਨ ਸਿੱਖਾਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਭਾਰੀ ਰੌਣਕਾਂ

ਸਿਡਨੀ, 8 ਅਪ੍ਰੈਲ - 25ਵੀਆਂ ਆਸਟ੍ਰੇਲੀਅਨ ਸਿੱਖ ਖੇਡਾਂ ਦੇ ਦੂਸਰੇ ਦਿਨ ਭਾਰੀ ਰੌਣਕਾਂ ਦੇਖਣ ਨੂੰ ਮਿਲੀਆਂ। ਇਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਖੇਡਾਂ ਦੀ ਮੁੱਖ ਖਿੱਚ ਕਬੱਡੀ, ਵਾਲੀਬਾਲ, ਫੁੱਟਬਾਲ, ਹਾਕੀ ਅਤੇ ਐਥਲਿਕਟਸ ਆਦਿ ਸਨ। ਸਿਡਨੀ ਦੇ ਨਾਲ-ਨਾਲ ਮੈਲਬਰੌਨ, ਐਡੀਲੇਡ, ਬ੍ਰਿਸਬੇਨ, ਕੈਨਬਰਾ ਆਦਿ ਤੋਂ ਵੀ ਖਿਡਾਰੀ ਅਤੇ ਦਰਸ਼ਕ ਇਕੱਠੇ ਹੋਏ। ਅਥਲੈਟਿਕਸ ਵਿਚ 100 ਮੀਟਰ ਅੰਡਰ 14 ਵਿਚ ਕੇਤਨਪ੍ਰੀਤ ਨੇ ਪਹਿਲਾ ਸਥਾਨ ਹਾਸਿਲ ਕੀਤਾ। ਹਾਕੀ ਵਿਚ ਬ੍ਰਿਸਬੇਨ, ਮਲੇਸ਼ੀਆ ਅਤੇ ਨਿਊਜ਼ੀਲੈਂਡ ਦੀਆਂ ਟੀਮਾਂ ਕੱਲ੍ਹ ਫਾਈਨਲ ਵਿਚ ਖੇਡਣਗੀਆਂ। ਮੈਲਬੌਰਨ ਤੋਂ ਚਰਨਾਮਤਪ੍ਰੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਅਤੇ ਸਿਡਨੀ ਤੋਂ ਰਣਜੀਤ ਖੈੜਾ ਮੁੱਖ ਤੌਰ 'ਤੇ ਕੁਮੈਂਟਰੀ ਕਰਨ ਲਈ ਕਬੱਡੀ ਦੀ ਗਰਾਊਂਡ ਵਿਚ ਪਹੁੰਚੇ। ਇਥੇ ਇਹ ਵਿਸ਼ੇਸ਼ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਗੁਰਦੁਆਰਾ ਪਾਰਕਲੀ ਦੀ ਪੂਰੀ ਐਸੋਸੀਏਸ਼ਨ ਅਤੇ ਗੁਰਦੁਅਰਾ ਰੀਵਸਟੀ ਦੀ ਸੰਸਥਾ ਅਤੇ ਮਹਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਬਿੱਟਾ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਗੁਰੂ ਦਾ ਅਤੁੱਟ ਲੰਗਰ ਵਰਤਾਇਆ ਗਿਆ। ਸਟਾਲਾਂ 'ਤੇ ਭੋਜਨ ਕਾਫੀ ਮਹਿੰਗੇ ਭਾਅ ਵਿਕ ਰਿਹਾ ਸੀ। ਗਿੱਧੇ ਦੀ ਟੀਮ ਲੈ ਕੇ ਹਰਭਜਨ ਸਿੰਘ ਖਹਿਰਾ ਆਏ। ਖੇਡਾਂ ਦੇ ਅਖੀਰ ਵਿਚ ਰੰਗਾਰੰਗ ਪ੍ਰੋਗਰਾਮ ਪੇਸ਼ ਕੀਤਾ।

FM radio Hello Doon launched to cater the needs of the visually challenged

Dehradun, March 31
The much-awaited community FM radio, Hello Doon of the National Institute of Visually Handicapped (NIVH), began broadcasting services here today. Hello Doon will cater to the needs of the visually challenged and the community living around the NIVH and will also provide job opportunities to the visually challenged.

"Though we conceptualised the project two years ago, it got delayed due to technical problems. The problems regarding the range of the community FM radio are still being looked into. We did not want to delay the launch further and disappoint the visually challenged persons, who had shown great deal of enthusiasm in running the community radio station," said Anuradha Dalmia, Director, NIVH.

The NIVH would also start a nine-month broadcasting course for the visually challenged persons from this session. "Ultimately, our goal is to empower visually challenged persons, who face hurdles every day due to lack of a conducive environment," said Dalmia.

While participating in the live broadcast, Dr S Farooq from Tasmia organisation said radio was proving to be a better medium for educating people. The NIVH had spent Rs 25 lakh on upgrading two studios. The community radio would focus on broadcasting programmes on education, family and health welfare, entertainment, employment etc.

Later, a large printing press was inaugurated at the Central Braille Press. This press would allow the printing of study material for persons with low vision.

NRI forms Patnipeedith Association

Dehradun, April 3
Vishwanath Iyer, a Non-Resident Indian, who now lives here, has formed the Patnipeedith Association to help those who have been harassed by their wives or laws which are pro-women and leave enough scope to be distorted and used against husbands.

He called a press meet today to inform the mediapersons that a plenary session would be convened on April 15 to hear the grievances of those who were having troubled relationship with their wives and want to seek legal help.

Ironically, Iyer's own life had been full of contradictions. He married four times, last time five years ago at the age of 59. He said he was implicated in a case of setting a woman on fire in Rishikesh and was also put in jail for seven months. He also had a live-in relationship with a woman Sharda, who lived in Rishikesh whom he had married third time in 2004 and then married for the fourth time in 2007 to another woman in Rishikesh.

He calls his fourth marriage, a "forced" one where the woman pressured him into marrying her. After he annulled this marriage, he began staying with Sharda.

Iyer said he worked in France as a translator and came back to India in 2001 after he felt emotionally broken after his second divorce and settled in Rishikesh. At present, he is living in Dehradun.

As a head of the organisation, he has taken along a panel of advocates Ravi Singh Negi, Sahshikant Shahi, Rakesh Kumar Verma and Ranjeet Kantura. 

Work of over 300 Artists on display

Dehradun, April 8
Uttarakhand Governor Margaret Alva visited the Mask’s Exhibition organised by Rural Entrepreneurship for Art and Cultural Heritage (REACH) here yesterday. The exhibition features the work of more than 300 works by eminent artists from across the country and abroad. The exhibition has attracted people of the city and has to be extended on demand.

The concept behind the exhibition is to incite the artists to bring out inner feelings and aspirations in opposition to the concept of masks that hide the human expressions and emotions. The exhibition has brought out this idea beautifully in the form of paintings, graphic arts, photography and sculpture.

The Governor, on witnessing the magnificent display of masks, remarked, "Each mask tells its own story and this is a mind-boggling display of artistry. Every art lover must visit the gallery."

This exhibition has been successfully organised at Lalit Kala Akademi Gallery in Delhi and the Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal.

The exhibition will now be held in Italy, Singapore and Pakistan.

Yuvraj reaches in India today

Chandigarh, April 8
As soon as the news of Yuvraj Singh’s return spread here today, fans commenced preparations for welcoming him. He had been under treatment for germ-cell cancer in his lungs.

The cricketer was expecting his visit the city soon after landing in New Delhi around 9:45 am tomorrow following the completion of his chemotherapy sessions in London.

His local manager RS Kapoor said Yuvraj would come to the city immediately after landing at the airport. He added that he did not have the plans of the cricketer at the moment.

“Finally the day has come! I am going home tomorrow! Can’t wait, excited to see my friends and family. See you India. Mera Bharat mahan,” Yuvraj wrote on his Twitter account last afternoon.

“We are looking ahead to see him back in action. We have got the information on Twitter. We are eagerly awaiting his visit to the city. We plan to welcome him by organising a function and want him to share his experiences,” said the member of an NGO.

Yuvraj’s father Yograj Singh said, “Yuvi is expected to arrive in India tomorrow. I am happy that he is coming back. I am busy shooting for a movie till April 30 and hopefully, will meet him soon.”

Yuvraj had underwent three chemotherapy sessions after being diagnosed with the disease. He had been out of action for this edition of the Indian Premier League.

He was expected to stay away from the game till proper recovery. Sources close to him said he would visit the city on April 12 for the first match of the Kings XI Punjab on their home ground.

Kapoor maintained that there was about half-a-chances of Yuvraj’s visit to the city. “He is returning to India tomorrow, but will stay at Gurgaon for at least a week to recover,” he added.

“He is excited to come here and hopefully, will come here soon to thank his well-wishers. I am not sure about his visit for the first match,” he added.

Farmers go organic, reap rich harvest

Faridkot, April 8
Unlike their less-fortunate peers, farmers like Vinod Jyani, Harjant Singh, Gurmail Singh Dhillon, Hartej Singh and Amarjit Sharma are a happy lot. Less than five years ago, they couldn't have imagined that the wheat they are growing would stir demand from the health-conscious section of society. Now, they realise that their decision to adopt organic farming was a step in right direction.

At the time when a majority of farmers with 4-5 acres of landholding are under debt and every rabi season, they wait for days at procurement centres to sell their crop, these farmers growing organic wheat are selling their produce at their doorsteps and that too at a price up to Rs 3,000 per quintal. While the MSP of wheat is Rs 1,285 per quintal, the organic produce is already booked at prices between Rs 2,700 and Rs 3,000 per quintal.

On his four acres of land, Amarjit has introduced diversification in a big way. He has sown over 20 varieties of crops, including vegetables, fruits, sugarcane, potatoes, onion and pulses, by dividing his farm in small segments.

Calling it zero budget natural farming, Vinod Jyani, a farmer with 120 acres under organic farming in Katehra village of Fazilka, says: “In this system, we use those things which are available naturally. Besides savings on fertilisers and pesticides, water required for organic farming is 70 per cent to 80 per cent less than the conventional farming," says Jyani.

Cow dung, jaggery and gram flour is used in natural farming. In the first two to three years, the yield falls by 40-50 per cent, but with zero inputs and the produce fetching 100 per cent more price, natural farming brings no loss, says Harjant Singh of Rai Ke Kalan village.

A study titled "Economics and Efficiency of Organic Farming vis-à-vis Conventional Farming in India" by the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmadabad, reveals that though the yield under organic farming is nearly half, but the market price realisation of per kg wheat is significantly higher (117 per cent). The study indicates almost 16 per cent higher gross returns per acre of wheat under organic farming over conventional farming, says Umendra Dutt, executive director, Kheti Virsat Mission, a voluntary organisation for promoting natural farming..

Pak refuses visa to 455 Sikh devotees

Amritsar, April 8
The Pakistan Government has rejected the visa applications of 455 Sikh devotees, recommended by the SGPC, for visiting Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal on the occasion of Baisakhi.

Out of a total of 3,000 devotees, the SGPC had sent a list of 1,575 for the tour. The SGPC president, Avtar Singh Makkar, said the visa refusal was unfortunate and had deeply hurt Sikh sentiments.

“This was toatally unexpected. The Pakistan Government has not mentioned any valid reason for denial of visa to these devotees,” he said.

It is the third time in the past one year when the Pakistan Government has denied visa to Sikh devotees. In November last, over 500 applications of devotees were rejected. Their names were recommended by the SGPC for a visit to Nankana Sahib.

The devotees who have got visas will leave for Pakistan on April 10 through the Attari Wagah joint checkpost and will be back on April 19.

Vijender ‘is back’, qualifies for Olympics

New Delhi, April 8
"I am back," said Vijender while speaking from Astana as the Bhiwani (Haryana) boxer booked a berth for London Olympics, reaching the semifinals of the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Astana, Kazakhstan today.

Olympic medallist Vijender Singh (75kg), in the process, achieved the unique distinction of becoming the first Indian boxer to qualify for the Olympic Games for a third successive time.

The first Indian to win an Olympic and World Championships medal - bronze in both events - Vijender outpunched Chuluuntumur Tumurkhuyag of Mongolia 27-17 to not just assure himself of an Olympic berth but also a medal at the ongoing tournament.

The 26-year-old had failed in his first attempt to book a ticket for London in last year's World Championships. "I have answered all my critics," said the former world number one, who was gasping for breath after a draining encounter.

Pak President’s India Visit

Zardari offers prayers at Ajmer dargahAnnounces $1 million donation

Zardari at the shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer on Sunday. — PTI Zardari carries a ‘chader’ at the Ajmer dargah. — PTI Bilawal Bhutto Zardari (C) at the shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti at Ajmer on Sunday. — Reuters

Ajmer, April 8

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari today offered prayers at the historic 13th century dargah of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti in this pilgrim town after which a $1 million donation for the shrine was announced.

At the end of his visit to the shrine marked by tight security this evening, Zardari said he felt “a great spiritual happiness” after coming to this holy place which was “beyond description.” A $1 million (Rs 5 crore) for the welfare of the shrine was announced on behalf of Zardari by a member of his delegation, according to the Anjuman Committee’s vice-president Syed Khalimuddin Chishti.

Clad in a blue salwar kameez, 56-year-old Zardari, accompanied by his son Bilawal, Interior Minister Rehman Malik and members of his 44-member delegation, stayed inside the Sufi saint’s mausoleum for 20 minutes where he offered a 42-sq m long red ‘chadar’ and floral tributes. Bilawal offered a green chadar. Chadar is a ceremonial cloth inscribed with religious verses.

A chadar was also offered by Union Minister Pawan Bansal on behalf of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Bansal, the minister-in-waiting for Zardari's visit, prayed for peace and harmony.

“Is mukaddas mukam par akar mujhe jo ruhani khushi mehsus hui hai wo na-kabil-e-bayan hai. Alla tala se dua hai ki wo tamam insaniyat ke liye asaniya paida kare. Amin” (I feel a great spiritual happiness after coming to this holy place. It is beyond description. I pray to God to create favourable conditions for humanity. Amin) Zardari wrote in the visitors book.

Zardari performed ‘fateha’ (supplication) and went around the premises comprising mosques, graves of the Khwaja’s disciples, a pool and two big cauldrons used for cooking food during the annual Urs. Pervez Musharraf and Zia-ul-Haq were the previous Pakistani Presidents to offer obeisance at the revered shrine.

The President landed at Ghugra helipad in Ajmer in a helicopter from Jaipur where a special aircraft carrying him and his delegation brought him from Delhi after a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who also hosted a lunch for him. The convoy then moved to the Dargah Sharif, 12.3 km by road from the helipad.

Anjuman committee officials said the donation announced by Zardari was the biggest amount in recent years, but it was not immediately known whether it was made in a personal capacity or in his capacity as President.

Outside the Nizam gate, the main entrance of the dargah, Zardari was welcomed by Sayed Natik Chisti, Anjuman committee secretary Sayed Wahid Chisti and its president Husamuddin Niyazi.

Sayed Natik Chisti, who had performed the ‘Ziyarat’ (prayer) when Musharraf had visited the shrine, performed the same for Zardari along with Syed Iqbal Kaptan Chisti who claimed to be the family khadim of late Prime Minister and Zardari’s slain wife Benazir Bhutto.

Zardari was presented two chadars for shrines in Pakistan — Baba Farid-ud-din Ganjshakar at Pakpattan near Lahore and Databaksh shrine in Lahore by a body of khadims (clerics).

A member of the dargah staff removed the shoes of Zardari who then wore a special rexine socks and entered the shrine from the Nizam gate.

As soon as he stepped into the dargah, he was welcomed by beating of drums as per traditions and customs of the shrine.

President of the dargah committee Sohel Ahmad Khan and CEO Mohammad Afzal received them inside the shrine after his entry from the Nizam gate.

The delegation then proceeded towards the Aastana (shrine) after passing through Shahjahani gate, Buland darwaja, Sandali gate and Ahta-e-Noor (boundary of the main shrine).

China praises visit

Beijing, April 8
China today lauded Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari's visit to India, saying better ties between the two nuclear-armed neighbours would benefit both countries and bring stability in the region.
"Better ties between Pakistan and India, two nuclear-armed heavyweight neighbours on the South Asian subcontinent, will benefit both countries and regional stability," a commentary by state-run Xinhua news agency said.
"The two countries’ efforts in warming up their ties certainly are welcomed and applauded by the international community including China, which neighbours both nations and maintains significant ties with them," it said. China and Pakistan have been all-weather friends over the past decades, while both China and India have been members of BRICS, a bloc of five major emerging economies that also includes Brazil, Russia and South Africa.

Stop terror against India, PM tells Zardari

New Delhi, April 8
Dubbed as ‘Dargah Diplomacy’, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari’s day-long private visit to India today to offer prayers at the Ajmer Sharif did help the two South Asian neighbours reduce mutual tension and consider practical ways to speedily settle some of the less contentious issues such as Sir Creek and Siachen.

At his one-on-one meeting with Zardari, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, however, made it a point to highlight the issue of terrorism upfront and unequivocally told the Pakistani leader that action must be initiated against JuD chief Hafiz Saeed and other perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai attack.

Terming the 40-minute meeting as ‘friendly and constructive’, Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai said Singh also told Zardari that Pakistan must prevent terrorist activities against India from its soil. “The (two) leaders discussed the problem of terrorism, which is a major issue by which the Indian people will judge progress in the bilateral relationship,’’ he added.

Reflecting the view of Islamabad, the Pakistan President said the issue of Hafiz Saeed, on whose head the US recently declared a bounty of $10 million, needed to be discussed between the Home/Interior secretaries of the two countries who would meet shortly in Islamabad. He also stated that there were legal processes in Pakistan without going through which the civilian government could not move against the masterminds of the Mumbai attack.

But for the first time perhaps, Islamabad indicated that it was seriously looking at the India-China model of bilateral relations wherein the two countries have put contentious issue on the backburner and made significant gains in their trade and commercial ties.

Zardari raised issues such as Sir Creek, Siachen and Jammu and Kashmir and stressed the need for resolving them. To this, the PM said both sides needed to move step by step and that the bilateral dialogue was in the mutual interest of the two countries.

As the two leaders warmly shook hands at the start of their meeting, Zardari renewed Islamabad’s invitation to Manmohan Singh to visit Pakistan. The Indian PM, who was born at Gah village (now in Pakistan), said he would be very happy to visit Pakistan on a mutually convenient date. Contrary to Pakistan ’s expectations that the visit could fructify by the end of the year, Singh gave no such indication.

Official sources said the Prime Minister’s visit required substantive preparations and a step-by-step approach. New Delhi’s expectation is that the dialogue process with Pakistan should produce concrete results in the coming days which could pave the way for the visit.

There was also a mention of the liberalised visa regime that the two countries desire to usher in. The two leaders observed that an accord could be signed when the Home/Interior secretaries meet.

The PM conveyed to Zardari his condolences over reports that more than 100 Pakistani soldiers were feared buried after an avalanche smashed into the Pakistani army's headquarters near Siachen. He said India was ready to provide any help that Pakistan needed to deal with the tragedy. Zardari thanked Singh and said he would get back to him after talking to his officials in Islamabad .

In his brief media statement, Singh said the relations between the two neighbours should become normal. “That’s our common desire. We have a number of issues and we are willing to find practical, pragmatic solutions to all those issues and that’s the message that President Zardari and I would like to convey.’’

Zardari said Pakistan would like to have better relations with India. “We have spoken on all topics that we could have spoken about and we are hoping to meet on Pakistan’s soil soon.’’

After the talks, the Prime Minister hosted lunch in honour of his guest and his delegation. Zardari and his entourage later left for Jaipur on way to Ajmer.

WE’LL MEET ON SAEED: ZARDARI

Zardari said the issue of Hafiz Saeed needs to be discussed between the Home/Interior secretaries of the two countries who would meet shortly in Islamabad. He said there were legal processes in Pakistan without going through which the civilian government could not move against the masterminds of the Mumbai attack.

PRAYS AT AJMER SHARIF

Pak President offered prayers at the historic 13th century dargah of sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti in Ajmer after which a $1 million donation for the shrine was announced.

Avalanche buries 100 Pak soldiers in Siachen

Islamabad, April 7
A massive avalanche slammed into a Pakistan Army base in the Siachen sector close to the border with India today, burying over 100 sleeping soldiers under snow and triggering a frantic search for survivors.

The bodies of some soldiers had been pulled out of the snow, state-run Radio Pakistan quoted the army's media wing as saying. It did not say how many bodies had been recovered.

Some reports suggested that 135 to 150 soldiers had been hit by the avalanche, but these could not be independently confirmed. The rescue operation will take some time to complete, the report said.

The avalanche hit a battalion headquarters at Gyari in Siachen sector at 5.45 am. Chief military spokesman Maj Gen Athar Abbas told the media that over 100 soldiers of the Northern Light Infantry, including a Colonel, were trapped following the avalanche. "It's a very massive scale slide.

They (soldiers) are under the slide but we haven't lost hope. The rescue work is on, and we are keeping our fingers crossed," he said.

Helicopters, sniffer dogs, additional troops and teams of doctors were sent to the desolate region as the army launched a massive rescue operation.

Army officials said heavy engineering machinery had been moved by air from the garrison city of Rawalpindi to speed up the rescue work.

However, state-run Pakistan Television said rescuers were facing difficulties in moving heavy machinery to the far-flung area.

All eyes on Zardari visit, PM likely to raise Saeed issue

New Delhi, April 7

The wheel has come full circle. Pakistan Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani, expelled by India in 2003 when he was Deputy High Commissioner in New Delhi for allegedly funding Kashmiri separatists, will be among the privileged guests accompanying Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari on his-day long visit to India tomorrow.

Jilani is a cousin of Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. He took charge as Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary last month from Salman Bashir, tipped to become the new High Commissioner to India.

In February 2003, when relations between India and Pakistan were under considerable strain in the wake of the December 2011 terrorist attack on the Parliament, Jilani was asked by the Vajpayee government to leave the country for allegedly acting in breach of his diplomatic status. In a tit-for-tat action, Pakistan had expelled India’s Charge d’Affaires Sudhir Vyas.
Apart from Jilani, Zardari’s 40-member delegation will include his 23-year-old son Bilawal, Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Pakistan Senate former chairman Farooq H Naek, and President’s spokesperson Farhatullah Babar.
President Zardari arrives in New Delhi at 11 am tomorrow for what is described as a private visit to offer prayers at the shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer, but expectations have been raised on both sides of a more substantive outcome from his talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh before the two leaders sit for lunch.
Besides the guests from Pakistan, the lunch is likely to be attended from the Indian side by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi, External Affairs Minister SM Krishna, Home Minister P Chidambaram and Parliamentary Affairs Minister PK Bansal, also the minister-in-waiting for Zardari. Some MPs have also been invited.
The visit has received a cautious welcome from diplomatic observers who say it reflected some improvement in ties since the 2008 Mumbai attack, planned and executed by Pakistan-based terrorists.
The two leaders are expected to hold one-on-one talks without aides for around an hour before proceeding for lunch. There is unlikely to be any joint statement at the end of the lunch. There is no any media interaction either. After lunch, Zardari and his delegation will fly off to Jaipur in his plane and from there in IAF choppers to Ajmer.
Since the visit comes close on the heels of the US announcing a bounty of $10 million on Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed, the PM is likely to press Pakistan to act against the 26/11 mastermind without further delay.
However, Zardari today sought to play down the issue of Hafiz Saeed, saying he did not think it would be the focus of his meeting with Manmohan Singh. "My stance on Saeed is not different from that of my government. My visit to India is of a religious nature and I do not think Manmohan Singh will make me sit (and discuss) this issue," Zardari told reporters in a lighter vein at the Governor's House in Lahore.
In Islamabad, Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit said Zardari will invite Singh to visit Pakistan by the end of this year during their meeting in New Delhi. The two leaders may also direct their aides to expedite the signing of a simplified visa agreement between the two countries.
Though he leads a weak government in Pakistan, Zardari has for long been a votary of good neighbourly relations with India. Days before the November 2008 massacre in Mumbai, he had promised a “no-first strike” against India while addressing the audience at a leadership summit in New Delhi via satellite link from Islamabad.
This will be after a gap of nearly three years that Manmohan Singh will be meeting Zardari. The two had last met in June 2009 in Russian.
Fresh from the UPA’s electoral triumph, Manmohan Singh had bluntly told Zardari that his mandate was to tell the latter that the territory of Pakistan should not be misused for terrorist activities against India. The snub was too much to handle for Islamabad. Zardari was immediately replaced by Prime Minister Gilani as the main interlocutor for talks.