Musharraf admits to training militants

LONDON: Former president Pervez Musharraf has told a German magazine that his forces trained militant groups to fight in Indian-held Kashmir.

He told the Der Spiegel the Nawaz Sharif government turned a blind eye because it wanted to put pressure on India to enter talks. Mr Musharraf said in the interview that militant groups “were indeed formed” in part because of the international community’s “apathy” over the Kashmir dispute. The retired general also indicated that he did not regret the Kargil intrusion that led to skirmishes with India in 1999.

“It is the right of any country to promote its own interests when India is not prepared to discuss Kashmir at the UN and resolve the dispute in a peaceful manner,” he said.—Agencies

Saudi prince killed servant, London court told

LONDON: A Saudi prince killed his servant in their room at a luxury London hotel in a ferocious beating which had a sexual element, a British court was told on Tuesday.

Bandar Abdulaziz, was found dead in bed at the Landmark Hotel in central London on Feb. 15 this year, having suffered extensive injuries, including bite marks to his cheeks, the Old Bailey jury was told.

The 32-year-old had spent the previous three years travelling as an occasional companion of Saud Abdulaziz bin Nasser al Saud, whose father is a nephew of the Saudi king and whose mother is a daughter of the king, the court heard.

The servant had suffered “a series of heavy punches or blows to his head and face”, leaving his left eye closed and swollen, his lips split open and his teeth chipped and broken, prosecutor Jonathan Laidlaw said.

There were also injuries to his ears and internal bruising and bleeding to the brain, as well as severe injuries to the neck consistent with manual compression, the court was told.

The prosecution said the victim also had deep bruising to the back, a rib fracture, and trauma to the stomach caused by heavy punches or kicks, the Press Association reported.

“The post-mortem examination was to reveal the ferocity of the attack to which he had been subjected before he died,” Laidlaw said.

It was not the first time the victim had been subjected to beatings, including one incident after which his ear needed reconstruction, he said.

Closed circuit TV cameras had caught Abdulaziz being hit by the defendant in the hotel lift on Jan. 22 and Feb. 5 and outside a restaurant on the night leading up to his death, Laidlaw said.

Saud had said his aide had been attacked and robbed on a London street three weeks before his death.

Laidlaw told jurors the 34-year-old prince now admitted carrying out the killing. He denies murder and one count of grievous bodily harm with intent.

Saud said he and his servant were “friends and equals” and that he was heterosexual, jurors were told.

But Laidlaw said:” The evidence establishes quite conclusively that he is either gay or that he has homosexual tendencies.

“The defendant's concealing of the sexual aspect of his abuse of the victim was for altogether more sinister reasons and it tends to suggest that there was a sexual element to the circumstances of the killing.”

The prince and his servant had been drinking in the hotel bar until the early hours of the morning before returning to the room. The prince told police he had woken at 3 p.m. and could not rouse the victim.

Bloodstains found in the room were “consistent with the victim having been the subject of a series of separate assaults before he was killed”, the court was told. – Reuters

Dutch party approve deal with anti-Islam MP

THE HAGUE: Dutch Christian Democrat MPs unanimously approved a deal Tuesday for the formation of a minority rightist government backed by the party of anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders.

“All 21 members (of parliament) will support the implementation of the governing agreement” between the Christian Democratic Action and the rightist, pro-business VVD, CDA leader Maxime Verhagen told journalists after a party caucus meeting in The Hague.

The deal will see the controversial Wilders' Party for Freedom (PVV) remain outside of government but providing the majority support the minority coalition will need to pass decisions through parliament, in exchange for a say in policy-making.

Wilders, who campaigns for a ban on the burqa and an end to Muslim immigration, went on trial in Amsterdam on Monday on charges of inciting hatred and discrimination against Muslims.

The CDA MPs' approval was the last major hurdle to the agreement being presented to Dutch Queen Beatrix for her to give the final green light for VVD leader and Prime Minister in waiting, Mark Rutte, to form his cabinet.

Verhagen, likely to be deputy premier, said his party's members will continue to critically assess whether the practical implementation of the agreement “does justice to CDA policies and principles.”

The VVD narrowly won June 9 general elections with 31 out of 150 seats in parliament, while Wilders' PVV increased its support from nine to 24 seats.

Members of the CDA, which has been in nearly all governments since World War II but saw its support halved in June, were deeply divided over cooperation with Wilders.

At a special party conference on Saturday, closely watched by the CDA's executive, 68 per cent of party members approved the coalition agreement, apparently convincing two MPs who had indicated they might vote against it on Tuesday (today).

The deal, which Wilders said last week would see the Netherlands ban the burqa and halve immigration, has already been adopted by VVD and PVV party members. -AFP

Gilani orders completion of devolution process

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Tuesday directed the completion of the devolution process by June 30, 2011, fulfilling commitment of the democratic forces by devolving powers to the provinces, under 18th amendment.

Presiding over a meeting of the Implementation Commission in the Parliament House, he said “The work on the first two phases of 18th amendment will be completed by 31st January 2011, while rest of the tasks will be completed by 30th June 2011.”

He further added that the devolution process would promote good governance at the Federal and Provincial levels. The devolution plan envisages transfer of subjects from the federal to provincial governments.

The meeting was attended by Senators; Mian Raza Rabbani, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Minister for Petroleum Syed Naveed Qamar, Minister for Housing and Works Haji Rehmatullah Kakar and Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Dr. Farooq Sattar.

The Implementation Commission after approval of the Prime Minister was to announce dates of other phases that had to be completed by June 30, 2011.

Gilani directed the Commission that all ministries that are to be devolved be involved in the process.

Gilani was also apprised of the recommended amendments to Schedule II of the Rules of Business of the Federal Government, which had become necessary after the 18th Amendment through which the Concurrent List had been abolished.

Gilani was briefed that the Commission after taking the Federal Ministries into confidence would coordinate with the Provincial Governments to ensure that the process of devolution is smooth. – APP

Times Square bomber sentenced to life in prison

NEW YORK: A Pakistani-born US citizen who tried to set off a car bomb in New York's busy Times Square was sentenced on Tuesday to life in prison.

Faisal Shahzad pleaded guilty in June to a failed May 1 bombing in Midtown Manhattan. He admitted to investigators he received bomb-making training from the Pakistani Taliban, called Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, and that the group had funded the bomb plot.

He was sentenced on Tuesday morning in Manhattan federal court by US District Judge Miriam Goldman Cedarbaum to life with no chance for parole.

Shahzad, who lived in the neighboring state of Connecticut and became a US citizen in 2009, parked a smoking sports utility vehicle in Times Square with its engine running and hazard lights flashing on a balmy springtime Saturday evening.

But street vendors alerted police to the vehicle within minutes and thousands of people were evacuated from the popular theater district. A bomb squad diffused the crude device, which included firecrackers and propane gas tanks.

Shahzad, who has a wife and two children living in Pakistan, told investigators he thought his bomb would kill at least 40 people, and that he had planned a second bombing attack two weeks later. A second target was not identified.

The son of a retired Pakistani vice air marshal, Shahzad was arrested aboard a Dubai-bound jetliner at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport two days after the attempted attack. He had been on his way back to Pakistan.

Shahzad pleaded guilty to 10 charges, including attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and attempted terrorism transcending national borders.

Prosecutors had asked for a life term for Shahzad to deter potential future radicalization of US citizens.

Shahzad, a former budget analyst who worked for a marketing firm in Connecticut, used the Internet to study Times Square in a bid to maximize damages, and prosecutors said he consulted with militants in Pakistan throughout the bomb-making process.

As he assembled the bomb at his Connecticut home, prosecutors said, he used specific programs on his computer to communicate with Tehrik-e-Taliban militants. -Reuters

Circular debt can reach up to Rs300 billion: experts

KARACHI: The amount of circular debt between different power producing institutions has reached Rs235 billion.

According to sources, it is believed that if the government does not solve the problem on urgent basis than the amount of circular debt could reach Rs300 billion by the end of this year.

Experts say that the amount of debt is continuously increasing between oil marketing companies and refineries on daily basis.

Managing Director Pakistan State Oil (PSO) said that the money owed by other companies to PSO is adding on by Rupees one billion every day.

He said if immediate steps to eliminate the circular debt are not taken than there are high chances of closing down of oil refineries which will halt the oil supply.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has also assured that steps would be taken to eliminate the increasing circular debt between different institutions.

Shakib stuns Kiwis in rain-hit one-dayer

DHAKA: Shakib Al Hasan shone with bat and ball to help Bangladesh to a morale-boosting win over New Zealand in a rain-curtailed one-day international on Tuesday.

Shakib hit 58 off 51 to steer the hosts to a competitive 228 all out and then grabbed four wickets to restrict New Zealand to 200-8 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on the outskirts of Dhaka.

Bangladesh won by nine runs through the Duckworth-Lewis method after rain midway through the second session forced the Black Caps’ target to be revised to 210 in 37 overs.

It was only the second win for Bangladesh in 18 one-dayers against New Zealand and gave them the early advantage in the five-match series.

Shakib, who stood down as captain to concentrate on his cricket, hit eight fours after skipper Mashrafe Mortaza won the toss and elected to bat first.

Recalled opener Shahriar Nafees made 35 and Junaid Siddique chipped in with 30, but the Bangladeshi batsmen failed to build on good starts.

Versatile New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori led from the front with 2-29 in 10 overs of accurate left-arm spin, while seamer Kyle Mills grabbed three wickets for 44 runs.

Jesse Ryder and Andy McKay took two wickets each.

Brendon McCullum gave the Kiwis a rousing start with 61 off 45 balls, including seven fours and two sixes.

McCullum and Jesse Ryder put on 53 for the first wicket by the seventh over, before three quick wickets from Shakib reduced the tourists to 85-4 by the 15th.

Heavy rain at that stage toughened New Zealand’s target, but Ross Taylor battled bravely to make 42, while Vettori contributed 24.

Shakib conceded the rain break helped his team, but hailed the bowlers for sticking to the task.

“The rain went in our favour but our bowlers bowled in good areas,” he said. “Today was my day but the others supported me as well and it was a team effort in the end.”

Vettori rued his team’s batting display as the target mounted.

“We had a reasonable start and to restrict them to less than 230 was a good effort,” said Vettori. “We expected to win, but we let ourselves down in the second half of our batting effort.

“Brendon played really well, he gave us impetus but we couldn’t back him up.”

Bangladesh’s day was marred by an ankle injury to captain Mortaza, who limped off the field after sending down just one over.

It was unclear if he will be available for Friday’s second match at the same venue.

“He (Mortaza) has a sprained right ankle,” team physiotherapist Michael Henry said. “We will be observing him for at least another 48 hours.

“The injured area has been put on ice. There will be no further investigation for the time being.” -AFP

Germany says investigating US drone strike deaths

BERLIN: Germany said Tuesday it had no information on five German militants who according to Pakistani security sources were killed in a US drone attack in the country's lawless tribal belt.

“Currently we have no information but we are investigating,” a spokeswoman for the foreign ministry in Berlin told AFP.

The missile attack took late on Monday in the North Waziristan tribal district bordering Afghanistan, a purported hideout for foreign and homegrown militants linked to the Taliban and al Qaeda.

“Five German rebels of Turkish origin and three local militants were killed in the strike,” a Pakistani security official said.

The strike came hours after Japan and Sweden joined Washington and London in issuing an alert warning of the “possible terrorist attack” by al Qaeda and affiliated groups against their citizens travelling in Europe.

This followed reports in British and US media said that an al Qaeda plot to carry out attacks in Britain, France and Germany, similar to the siege in Mumbai in 2008 that killed 166 people, had been uncovered.

The source of the threat information was a German citizen of Afghan descent captured on his way to Europe and now being held in Afghanistan, the reports said.

According to the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution's annual report in June, there are 29 Islamic extremist organisations in Germany, with 36,000 members at the end of 2009 - 1,500 more than the year before.

Some 200 Germans or foreigners living in Germany have spent time in Pakistan with the intention of receiving paramilitary training from extremists groups, the agency said.

Germany, which opposed the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq but has more than 4,750 troops in Afghanistan under Nato command, has beefed up security and surveillance in response to the threat of militant attacks.

Germany's interior minister said that Berlin was well aware that the country was in the sights of “terrorists” but that there were no “concrete” indications of an attack, warning against what he called “alarmism.” – AFP

Pakistan stability in play with flood aid: UNHCR

GENEVA: A UN refugee official suggested on Tuesday that Pakistan's geopolitical stability was at stake unless international aid accelerates to help about 20 million Pakistanis hit by devastating floods.

The office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said that the situation remained “critically difficult” in some areas, while shelter and recovery for hundreds of thousands of people was still short nearly 10 weeks since flooding began.

“We need to draw the international community's attention that the emergency in Pakistan is not over,” said Mengesha Kebede, the UNHCR's representative in the country.

“Making sure 20 million people are rehabilitated I think is an international obligation: we are looking at a geopolitical situation where the stability of Pakistan we feel is in everybody's interest,” he told journalists in Geneva.

Donors have so far funded just one-third of the 2.0 billion dollar UN aid appeal, while the UNHCR's shelter needs are only half funded, a situation Kebede dismissed as “unacceptable.”

In hard-hit Sindh and Baluchistan provinces, a total of about 2.7 million people are still displaced.

Kebede underlined that about 600,000 displaced had sought shelter in schools in Baluchistan, where local authorities wanted to reopen them to start schooling again.

However, many of the displaced could not return to damaged homes and supplies to set up huge tented camps were short.

“That kind of challenge continues on a daily basis in every province,” Kebede added.

UNHCR is also caring for the world's largest refugee population in Pakistan, some 1.7 million Afghan refugees, many of whom were in flood hit areas.

Another 1.2 million Pakistanis are still displaced by conflict in the northern Khyber Phatunkhwa province.

“That problem has become secondary because of the magnitude of the floods. Now that the floods have started receding it will definitely start surfacing again because the conflift continues,” said Kebede. – AFP

PML-N, Q stage walk out against NAB Ordinance

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Muslim League – Quaid (PML-Q) staged a walk out of the National Assembly on Tuesday to register their protest against the promulgation of the NAB Ordinance 2010.

PML-N MNA Zahid Hamid said that through the ordinance the petitions of one province have been transferred to another thus shifting the powers from the Supreme Court to the federal government.

Meanwhile, Law Minister Babar Awan said that Prime Minister Gilani knew about the issuance of the amended ordinance in advance.

Addressing the National Assembly, Awan said the summary for the issuance of ordinance had been sent to the Principal Secretary of the Prime Minister on September 6.

On September 7, Prime Minister Gilani sent his advice for the issuance of ordinance to the President, Awan said.

The summary was signed by the President on September 8 and was returned to the law ministry the following day, he added.

“The Law Ministry issued an official gazette notification for the issuance of amended NAB Ordinance 2010,” Awan said.

Under the amended ordinance, the NAB chairman’s powers have been considerably reduced and only the government will have the authority to transfer cases from one court to another.

‘Pakistan requires huge investment for reconstruction’

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani Tuesday said Pakistan requires huge investment for reconstruction and rehabilitation in the flood affected areas.

Talking to a delegation of UAE Red Crescent, Prime Minister Gilani said priority of his government was to provide shelter and housing to the dislocated people, reconstruct damaged schools, hospitals, farm to market roads and restore damaged bridges and railway tracks in the affected areas.

He said the international community, particularly close friends of Pakistan like UAE, will have to come forward to take part in the rehabilitation and reconstruction phases.

The Prime Minister apprised the UAE Red Crescent Society delegation of the massive destruction caused by the floods and the measures undertaken by his government for helping the displaced.

He said the first tranche of Rs 20,000 per family was being distributed in a transparent and judicious way, while the second tranche of Rs 80,000 will be disbursed in the near future.

He said he would soon be chairing the meeting of the Council of Common Interests in this regard.

Prime Minister Gilani reaffirmed that the government was committed to ensure transparency in disbursement of assistance received from abroad. He said the National Oversight Disaster Management Council comprising experienced civil servants and former members of judiciary of high repute would be working voluntarily to monitor the process, while a website has been setup showing the donations received and their utilisation.

The Prime Minister hoped that international community will focus on the immediate needs of provision of winter tents to the flood affected as the winter season was due to set in soon. He said tents would be procured locally as it was the most economical arrangement.

He asked the UAE delegation to convey his gratitude to the President, Crown Prince, Prime Minister of UAE and the people for their generous help.

The UAE delegation comprised Chairman of the Board of Directors of UAE Red Crescent Society Ahmad Hameed Al-Mazrouie and Secretary General, UAE Red Crescent Mohammad Khalifa Al-Qamzi, Member of the Board Dr Hamdan Musalam Al-Mazrouie, UAE Special Envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan Ali Al-Shamsi, and UAE Ambassador to Pakistan Ali Saif Al-Awani.

The head of the UAE delegation conveyed sympathies on behalf of Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, President of UAE and assured support and assistance in this hour of need.

Pakistan and UAE relations, he said, were historic and time tested and UAE wants to be on the frontline to help Pakistan in the rehabilitation and reconstruction phases in the flood affected areas.

He said the purpose of the visit was to gain first hand knowledge of the disaster and listen to the people dealing with the catastrophe. He said he has already visited different flood affected areas to supervise the assistance already undertaken by the UAE Red Crescent.

He requested that plans for rehabilitation and reconstruction when finalised after the Damage Need Assessment be shared with UAE. — APP

Laxman guides India to historic win over Australia

MOHALI: Vangipurappu Laxman revived his role as Australia’s chief tormentor with a magnificent unbeaten 73 to script India’s unlikely one-wicket victory on the final afternoon of the first Test on Tuesday.

Resuming on 55 for four and chasing a victory target of 216, India appeared dead and buried in the last hour before lunch but an 81-run ninth wicket stand between Laxman and Ishant Sharma set up the opening win of a two-match series.

India had lost a flurry of wickets to slip to 124-8 but Sharma contributed 31 valuable runs in his partnership with Laxman, who was batting with a runner due to a bad back, before the hosts scrambled over the finish line in a frantic climax.

“One of the best, one of the most exciting Test matches I have played and I have played some 150 now,” Australia captain Ricky Ponting said in the post-match presentation ceremony.

“The Ishant-Laxman partnership was outstanding, it made the difference,” he added.

When play began, India needed 161 runs to win while Australia required six wickets in an absorbing test but the ever-reliable Laxman kept his head as wickets tumbled, managing the tail to perfection in denying Ponting a first win in India as skipper.

Tuesday’s innings adds to Laxman’s reputation as a thorn in Australia’s side with all but one of his five 150-plus scores coming against them, including a 281 in Kolkata nine years ago that led a following-on India to a stunning win.

“He is a remarkable batsman. If he is at the crease, whatever field you set, he can rotate strike, hit boundaries and keep the scoreboard ticking. He is really an amazing batsman... he was very special,” India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said.

Going into the final day, local hopes rested on overnight batsman Sachin Tendulkar (38) but the prolific and talismanic batsman threw his wicket away with a poor shot to depart just when his team needed him most.

Earlier, Nathan Hauritz had made Australia’s initial breakthrough by ending overnight batsman Zaheer Khan’s 34-ball vigil.

Paceman Doug Bollinger then took over, removing Tendulkar and Harbhajan Singh, the latter wicket coming after Dhoni had ran himself out to compound the home side’s crisis.

Laxman and Sharma, however, did not panic and played deliveries on merit as the hosts eventually completed what is the fourth-highest successful chase on Indian soil.

Dhoni echoed Ponting’s sentiments in rating the match as one of the best he had played in and said the India-Australia rivalry was always capable of reaching such heights.

“Heartbeat goes up, a typical thing. I think that’s what make test cricket interesting,” Dhoni added.

“When the match started, no one expected a result within four-and-half days but bowlers from both sides forced one.”

Khan, who was named man of the match for his eight-wicket haul, felt India had played marginally the better in clinching a contest that had numerous momentum swings throughout the course of the five days.

“It was a great game of cricket. Australia fought really hard and we did just enough to be on the winning side,” said the pacer, the latest member of the 250-test wicket club.

Bangalore hosts the second test from October 9. —Reuters

Pakistan off to winning start in CWG hockey

NEW DELHI: Pakistan made a winning start to their campaign in the Commonwealth Games, thrashing Scotland 3-0 in their opening Pool A match here on Tuesday.

Shakeel Abbasi opened the scoring for Pakistan in the 20th minute before ace forward Rehann Butt slammed a goal from the top of the circle 10 minutes from half-time at a near-empty Major Dhyan Chand stadium.

Muhammad Imran made it 3-0 when he converted the first of the four penalty corners that Pakistan earned in the match in the 43rd minute.

Pakistan, who finished last at the same venue in the World Cup earlier this year, seemed to have left memories of that botched campaign firmly behind them as they took control of the proceedings right from the first whistle.

The defeated finalists of the 2006 Melbourne Games, Pakistan next face Malaysia before taking on hot favourites Australia and arch-rivals India.

Butt said his side was relieved to have crossed the first hurdle with ease.

“We are really pleased that we could start off with a victory,” the 30-year-old said. “We have some tough matches coming up against Australia and India and the win today will boost our confidence.”

Butt was disappointed with the poor attendance at the stadium Tuesday but hoped more people would turn up for Pakistan's match against the home team.

“A player always gives his best when there is a good crowd to cheer the good moves. May be the early timings and the heat kept the crowd away. But I am sure there will be many who will come to watch us play India.”

In a Pool B match played earlier, New Zealand men spanked Trinidad and Tobago 7-1 with Andrew Hayward and Blair Hilton slamming in two goals each.

Hugo Inglis, Hayden Shaw and Nick Haig were the other scorers for the Black Sticks while Wayne Legerton netted the lone goal for Trinidad and Tobago. —AFP