Musharraf sacks 18 envoys
May set up advisory council

ISLAMABAD, Oct 16 (PTI) — Pakistan's military regime has sacked the country's Ambassadors to 18 countries, including the USA, Britain and France.

The orders, issued hours after Gen Pervez Musharraf imposed emergency and proclaimed him self the country's Chief Executive, also directed removal of Ambassadors to Spain, Austria, Holland, the UAE, North Korea, Kenya, Uzbekistan, Thailand, Bahrain, Norway, Tunis and Myanmar, media reports said here today.

The envoys have been asked to immediately hand over charges to their deputies, Pakistan's largest Urdu daily 'Jung' reported quoting official sources.

Most of these envoys were either relatives or friends of deposed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif or were very close to the previous regime, it said.

A report in 'The News' daily from Washington said Pakistan's Ambassador to the USA Tariq Fatmi, who assumed charge only last month, was asked to hand over charge hours after the proclamation of emergency.

A confidential message was received by the Washington Mission on Thursday evening itself, sacking Mr Fatmi and asking him to hand over the charge to his deputy Shahid Kamal.

Mr Fatmi had also been directed not to visit the Pakistani Embassy, the report said.

A report in 'Dawn', quoting sources close to Mr Fatmi, said he had decided not to return to Pakistan for fear of persecution and is seeking political asylum in the USA.

Mr Fatmi had been posted to Washington to replace Mr Riaz Khokar, former High Commissioner to India, who was prematurely removed to make way for him.

Mr Fatmi was earlier serving in the Prime Minister's office as Additional Secretary in charge of foreign affairs and defence.

Incidentally, Foreign Secretary Shamshad Ahmed has been in constant touch with the military leadership since the army took over.

Apart from briefing the Islamabad-based envoys of various countries about the latest developments in Pakistan, Mr Ahmed has been assisting General Musharraf during his meetings with various envoys here since assuming the office of Chief Executive.

Media reports also said Pakistan's new military ruler was likely to establish a non-political "Supreme Advisory Council" (SAC) comprising top military commanders and technocrats to assist him in running the country.

The plan has been discussed and several "top guns" have approved it as the "most suitable approach," English daily "The News", quoting a senior army official, said, adding that an announcement about the council would come through in the next couple of days.

The 12-member council, which will act as a cabinet, will have no politicians either from ousted Premier Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League or other political parties and will have "only senior military commanders and technocrats", it said. It may include some retired military commanders and bureaucrats as well.

Although several other options were being considered at this stage, the paper quoted officials as saying "we think it is best to have a pack of clean, non-controversial and honest people on the SAC to advise and recommend solutions to the Chief Executive on matters of national importance".

The report said the council would have a clear term of reference spelling out its powers and functions and would be answerable only to General Musharraf.

The report said several names had been shortlisted for inclusion in the council.

USA halts aid to Pak

WASHINGTON, Oct 16 (Reuters) — The USA said it had halted all but a tiny slice of aid to Pakistan in response to the military take-over but was undecided on whether to oppose International Monetary Fund loans.

State Department spokesman James Foley yesterday said under Section 508 of the Foreign Assistance Act, the US Government was obliged to halt aid when an elected government was overthrown, but this did not cover lending through international bodies.

The ruling is essentially symbolic because US sanctions on Pakistan dating back to 1990, which were strongly reinforced after last year’s nuclear test, have reduced the US aid to less than $ 5 million.

Mr Foley said $ 1.7 million for a Pakistani non-governmental health initiative would be stopped. The only aid that would remain was 2.5 million for counter-narcotics programmes.

On further disbursement under a $ 1.5 billion IMF loan approved in 1997, he said: "We are frankly in a wait and see mode in terms of how we would ... act or how we would vote in the event if future lending is to come up at the IMF."

The IMF spokesman, Mr Thomas Dawson, has said the fund, which loaned money to Pakistan’s military rulers some 19 years ago, would not act alone if the international community believed aid would now be a bad idea.

The USA has some 18 per cent of the votes at the IMF. This is enough to block major policy decisions but not enough to halt individual loan payments if other countries are determined to push ahead.

But the IMF board rarely votes on individual loans, acting by consensus rather than by majority decisions.

Trade and development programmes as well as any assistance through the Overseas Private Investment Corporation has been suspended.

The Agriculture Department said it was unclear whether Pakistan’s access would be cut to the GSM-102 export credit programme under which the USDA guarantees loans made by commercial lenders against the possibility that importers may default.

Mr Tim Galvin, head of the USDA’s foreign agricultural service, told Reuters the agency would lobby to maintain Pakistan’s access. "We would maintain that that is a commercial programme and certainly not direct assistance," he said.

The USDA has not announced assistance for Pakistan for 2000, which began two weeks ago. At the time of the coup, the USA had not begun negotiations with the country on future food aid packages, Mr Galvin said.

The USA usually provides credit to Pakistan under the PL-480 food aid programme. The programme is designed to combat hunger and malnutrition and provides government-to-government aid.

Pakistan bought nearly 100,000 tonnes of US soft white wheat in September with PL-480 funding. The purchase was valued at approximately $ 13 million.

Mr Galvin said that programme may well be cut as it was seen as direct aid.

A report from Washington said Pakistan’s military ruler had stressed the importance of resumption of bilateral talks with India to resolve all outstanding issues.

The Chief Executive of Pakistan conveyed his views to US Ambassador William Milam who met him at the Rawalpindi army headquarters yesterday.

"General Musharraf agreed with William Milam about the importance of continuing Pakistan’s dialogue with India to resolve their differences and of addressing the issue of non-proliferation and security," US State Department spokesman James Foley told mediapersons here.

He said "improved relations for dialogue between India and Pakistan are in the interest of the entire world and certainly in the interest of India and Pakistan."

He said the USA had an "important non-proliferation agenda with Pakistan and certainly signature on the CTBT is at the front and centre of what we have been discussing with Pakistan and India."

Mr Foley said Ambassador Milam, during his two-hour discussions with General Musharraf, urged the need to return to democracy.

Ruler puts off address

ISLAMABAD, Oct 16 (DPA) — The much-awaited speech today by Pakistan's military ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf was postponed.

No reason was given for the postponement and no new date announced for the address that was due to be delivered on the national television and radio networks this evening.

The military Chief Executive of Pakistan was to spell out the features of the transition set-up to run state affairs following the overthrow of Premier Nawaz Sharif in a bloodless coup on Tuesday.